Fated Ones
by miano53
Summary: A woman with azure hair that commands storms. A man with the power of the earth. Another with the power of gravitational force. A woman with inhuman strength. A man that imitate all he sees. Twins who can control the winds. A girl with a heart of light. A boy who commands dragons. Others who've traveled through space and time and all fated to save a dying world. (On hiatus.)
1. Chapter 1: Contracts and Interviews

_Well, I've been writing this fic and its other incarnations since 2011. This fic was formerly known as "Specials" and had various drafts, mostly revolving around the FF7: Crisis Core storyline. Since I didn't like either, I thought to combine the drafts and try not to have it too reliant on the Crisis Core/FFVII storyline or the OCs._

 _Without further ado, here's the first chapter of Fated Ones._

 _Update: 5-26-2017_

 _Still making revisions to this fic. I think that it was too OC heavy and it put people off. So, now it'll feature more of the KH characters along with other Final Fantasy characters. And the monsters will still be based on FF monsters, like Vampires, Bombs and Liliths._

 _-miano53_

* * *

 _"Specials: n. pl.: People who exhibit superhuman and/or supernatural abilities compared to their average human counterparts. The abilities of Specials vary, ranging from super strength to the bending of reality itself. Due to such abilities, several nations fear them, lessening their populations through genocide, birth control effort, chattel slavery and various policing programs. Others use their abilities to cull the rise in monster populations, believing only monsters can destroy monsters."_

 _-Encyclopedia Radiance, vol. 13_

Chapter One: Contracts and Interviews

 _Fifteen years ago…_

 _Within dimly lit caves, only illuminated by small lanterns, were hundreds upon hundreds of tattered dressed people, hitting the rock walls with pickaxes and other digging tools. Each person, from young to old wore silver collars around their necks and bands around their wrists and ankles. They made no eye contact with one another and were watched by people dressed in black and purple cloaks. The cloaked individuals held small, flat devices in their hands and the people feared what they would do with them._

 _Deeper within the caves were a group of small children, being led by a brunet around five years old. He held a small shovel and a bucket, appropriate for his size. Other children included a girl with dull, azure-colored hair, several blondes, and a few raven-haired children. Like their older counterparts, their clothes were tattered and dirty and collars and armbands were around their necks, wrists and ankles._

 _Their overseers included another one of the cloaked individuals and a very short, pudgy man with a pickaxe and a lantern at his side. They led them into a surprisingly better lit area, the soil and rocky walls filled with glowing, blue areas._

 _"Hi-ho! Hi-ho! Move it, kids!" the short in stature one ordered._

 _The azure-haired girl, dragging her shovel, asked, "Why are we here? And what's all this pretty blue stuff?"_

 _The cloaked man responded with, "This, my dear, is a type of crystal we call 'magicite'. Long, long ago, people used them for medicinal purposes, warfare and even to 'ward off evil', believing them to have 'magical properties'. Since we've gone from those 'dark ages' of ignorance, we know that the power within these crystals have caused mutations among the world's populace, giving birth to you monsters masquerading as humans."_

 _"Uh…? I don't think I'm a monster...I don't look like it, do I?" the girl said, turning towards a girl with short, brown hair._

 _"Well, you do. No one naturally has blue hair and can channel lightning like there's no tomorrow! Now, get to work! Harvest 30 crystals and you all may get more than just eggs for dinner! Dwarf, I expect you to show them the ropes!" the cloaked man bellowed._

 _The short man motion for the children to follow and they did, heading for a wall glowing with blue light. He lifted his pickaxe and said, "Okay, what he didn't tell you was that their looking for a certain size of crystal. They have to be as big as my hand. No more, no less. That would be about four inches…I think."_

 _He then hit the wall, chipping away at the blue areas. After five minutes of whacking, he broke of a crystal that was around the size of his hand. He inspected it and was pleased._

 _"This should be good enough. Alright, just break off or dig up crystals of this size. Ready? Go," the man told them._

 _The children immediately went to work. As she did, the azure-haired girl had trouble trying to use the shovel given to her. Every time she tried to dig, she found that she couldn't as the floor was way too hard and the shovel was too heavy. She then tried using it on the wall, swinging it with all her might and hitting the wall. The shovel snapped in two and the girl yelped in terror._

 _"Uh oh…" the four-year-old cried._

 _"Aqua? What did you do?" another brunet asked, running over to her._

 _He handed her his shovel and took Aqua's broken one._

 _"I'm…I'm sorry," Aqua said._

 _"It's okay. Just use mine and don't whack the walls with a shovel, okay?" the boy told her._

 _"But…um…" Aqua started._

 _"My name's Terra. And you're Aqua. Nice to meet you. It's your first day working in the mines, right?" the boy told her._

 _Aqua nodded and he told her, "Don't worry. Just stick with me and you'll be okay."_

 _"Hey! No talking," the cloaked man bellowed._

 _The two went back to work, with Aqua giving Terra a small grin as she made a new friend._

* * *

 _Fifteen years later, 285 days before the Fall…_

" _Next stop, Sector 0 station. Next stop, Sector 0 station. The time is 10:30 a.m."_

The morning train leaving Sector 8 and heading for the central station of Sector 0 was filled with passengers backed in like sardines. Each were headed for work and school, holding their belongings tightly. Various advertisements were on the walls and ceiling, depicting members of the country's elite fighting force SOLDIER and the main power company, Shinra Electric. Florescent lights illuminated the interior and not so comfortable seats lined the right and left walls.

One passenger, a young ravenette with blue highlights in her hair, sat on one of the seats, next to a snoring man in dirty clothes. She, dressed in dark blue and white business-casual attire, looked at him and grimaced as he started drooling. Like the others, she clutched her small purse and portfolio.

The sleeping, drooling passenger started leaning and the woman fought the urge to push him away. Her saving grace came with her stop at Sector 0. The doors opened and many passengers exited the train, her included.

Once outside, she rushed from the station, realizing that she was over an hour late for her interview. Climbing up some stairs and crossing a few pedestrian bridges, she arrived at the streets of Sector 8.

The many buildings and apartment complexes were nearly overwhelming to her as she had never been to a large city like Midgar. Neon signs and street lamps illuminated the cityscape under a constant overcast and many pedestrian streets led to businesses, the theatre district called LOVELESS Avenue and towards the centermost building in the whole city, the Shinra Building.

That was where she was headed as she was granted a job interview. After pushing pass a few people and crossing another pedestrian bridge, the young woman arrived at the front gates of the Shinra Building. Before she and others who arrived could enter, they were vetted by guards standing in front, checking identification cards, their belongings and having them step through metal detectors.

The young woman spotted others, dressed in different attire from the guards and having swords on their backs, entered the building without showing passes or talking with anyone. The woman wondered why and it was finally her turn. She gave them her things, showed her ID and had them stare at her weirdly.

"What?" she asked.

"Modeoheim? That far out? Why come here?" one of the helmeted infantrymen asked.

"I had an interview and I'm late for it. So, can I go now?" the young woman replied.

He read the name on her ID out loud, saying, "Akua…mariner…Ti-bane-i…Weird name."

"It's 'Acquamarina Tiberi'…or Aqua for short. So, can I go now?" the young woman, Aqua, said.

"Yeah. Yeah. Just don't cause any trouble, newbie," the guard said.

Aqua sprinted through, entered the building and gasped as she slid to a halt in the lobby. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle of the massive Shinra Building entrance, the entire place was empty and dark. The four elevators were out of commission and the various metallic doors were locked and shut. The people that were supposed to be in there became either floating, green flames or small, floating red crystals.

"What the…? What's going on?" Aqua said, looking around.

She approached the front desk and saw only two floating flames behind it. The eerie light from them and the other flames gave off a soft, but creepy light that gave the area a green tinge. She stopped, looking at the desk and called out for someone to help her.

Instead, she heard, "Ah, there you are."

Aqua turned to her right and jumped left as she saw a little girl in white. Her hair, stringy and colored a teal-blue, was cut short in a bob and she stared at the young woman with piercing, rusty red eyes. She held a folder in her hands and an eerie smile crept up on her face.

"Hi there. I've been waiting for you," she said.

"Um, waiting for me? For what? And who are you?" Aqua asked

The girl's sinister smirk grew and she placed the folder on the desk. It opened on its own accord and flipped to a page that looked like a contract.

"Just sign your name here. And then you'll be on your way," the girl told her.

Aqua put her own portfolio on the desk, picked up the folder and read the contract aloud.

It read, _"I do solemnly swear to be responsible for my own actions, even if those actions leads to the end of others. Everything I do will affect others and even the state of the world itself."_

There were two lines at the bottom, one for her signature and the other the date. Aqua signed her full name, Acquamarina Capri Tiberi, and then the date, which was Monday, Byregot 3rd, 2006th year of the 9th Lumen Era. She thought the contract odd and was about to hand it over to the mysterious girl, but something told her to not give it back so easily

With her doubts as to what was going on, Aqua asked, "Why did I have to sign this? And what did it mean by 'everything I do will affect others'?"

"Oh. It's just a simple contract. Working for the government or its power company, what you'll do will affect a lot of people. So, they sign these contracts. The 'Great General' Sephiroth did so when he first started about twelve years ago," the girl said.

"But this contract…it's…weird," Aqua said.

"That's a Shinra contract for you. So, can I have it back please? I have to turn it in," the mysterious child told her.

Aqua still had a bad feeling about what she signed, but if even Shinra war heroes like Sephiroth signed one, then she thought it would be okay. The ravenette gave the girl the contract and then asked once again, "Who are you? Really?"

"Oh. No one worth mentioning. Just a loyalist of Shinra, like you," she said with a smile that still wasn't sweet.

"Hello? Hello? Are you okay, ma'am?"

Aqua's attention was turned to a woman in black business attire, standing behind the front desk. She was joined by another, dark-skinned woman in similar clothing. The two stared at her and asked about her wellbeing.

Confused, Aqua asked, "Did you two see that…girl?"

She looked to her right and saw nothing. Employees of the government and power company passed by, heading up and down the stairs and onto the elevators. Even those oddly dressed men and women armed with swords passed her by, not paying any attention. That is, save for a raven-haired young man in dark purple.

He stopped at the desk and asked the dark-skinned woman in black, "Hey, Miss Sheila, is there anythin' on my itinerary today?"

"No. It seems you're still on standby, Mister Fair," the second receptionist, Sheila, told him.

The young man, his last name apparently Fair, eyed Aqua and looked her up and down. She was quite uncomfortable under his gaze and he asked, "Who's this?"

"I was about to ask her myself, Mister Fair," the first receptionist said.

"Oh. Um, I'm Acquamarina Tiberi. I have a job interview with a Mister Deusericus and I'm late and this little girl stopped me when I first came in and…" Aqua explained.

"Hey! You have an interview with SOLDIER! She can go with me, guys," Mister Fair said.

He motioned for her to follow, despite Aqua's initial misgivings. The two headed to the second floor, passed some tables and chairs and stopped in front of the elevators. The young man swiped his ID car in a panel next to the elevator buttons and pressed up. After a few moments, the doors on the left opened up and the two entered.

Once inside, he pushed the button for the 49th floor. Aqua was still very uncomfortable as Mister Fair resumed staring at her. She glanced at him every now and then, seeing the odd, dark purple sweater and cargo pants he wore. Black shoulder pads covered his shoulder and thick, black combat boots covered his feet. Like the other oddly-dressed guards she saw earlier, he had a sword on his back, but she hadn't a clue how it stayed there.

"So, what made you wanna work for the government? Like, most times you either interview 'cause of the benefits or you're force to come 'cause of weird stuff that happens to ya," Mister Fair asked.

"Well…um…I didn't have much money and I was trying to go to school full-time. But then, my parents…they died and I was left with their debt. And trying to pay them off and pay for school…" Aqua explained.

"Oh…Well, at least you're here because you want to," Mister Fair said.

He then smirked and said, "I'm Zack, by the way Miss Tiberi."

"Aqua. Please to meet you," Aqua said, extending a hand.

The two shook hands and the doors opened. Nervous and worried that her interviewer wouldn't hear her out as she was over an hour late, Aqua took in a deep breath and stepped out first.

* * *

 _49_ _th_ _floor, SOLDIER floor, briefing room…_

"So, this is she? Wow, over an hour late…"

Aqua sat on a swivel chair at a large, V-shaped table. Zack sat in the one at her right. At Aqua's left was a man in a blue suit jacket and a white shirt, pants and shoes, sitting at the room's lone computer and typing something on the keyboard. He took her portfolio and read the contents. He nodded many times and Aqua hoped that was a good thing.

Closing it moments later, he said, "I don't know if you really want to work for us in this capacity, as you're more of an entry level…"

"Please, sir. I need some form of income to pay off my family's debts and I need some way to pay for school. I promised my father before he died that I would get my degree," Aqua said.

"So you were close to your father?" the man asked.

Aqua nodded and there was a sad expression on his face. It disappeared moments later, becoming a smile, and he said, "Family is very important here in SOLDIER as everyone here treat each other as such."

"Yeah, 'cause we're all the same here. Well, except for Director Lazard and the doctors up here," Zack said.

Director Lazard frowned up and said, "Zack, such classified information is not to be discussed openly to civilians."

"But she's really the only one Angeal approved and we do need help up here," Zack said.

Aqua, not getting what he meant as the job was only described to her as data entry and filing, asked, "Help with…?"

Director Lazard sighed and said, "Due to SOLDIER constantly being sent off for missions involving monster hunting, many do not have time to finish their reports. So, the job we're interviewing you for is to…"

"Help SOLDIER members file their reports on time and such? Okay. I can do that," Aqua responded.

The blonde was pleased, stood to his feet and said, "Alright then. Welcome, to SOLDIER, Acquamarina Tiberi."

Surprised as she had gotten it so quickly, Aqua stood as well, shook his extended hand and thanked him for his time. Zack was ordered to show Aqua where she was to get her new ID and papers for her living quarters. She was also told that while she was there, her things from home were already packed and sent to her new apartment in Sector 8.

'Wow, that was…quick. Wait, how did they get in my…?' she thought.

"Okay, I'll take you to get your stuff! After that, I'll show you around the place," Zack cheered, overly excited.

Aqua wondered why he was so energetic and wondered where he got all that energy from. As he received more orders from the director, the young woman saw a slight yellow aura come from his body. She shook her head, terrified that something bad was happening to her again and the aura disappeared. Thankfully, it went unnoticed by the two and Zack led her to where she needed to go.

* * *

 _That night, rooftops of Sector 8…_

The little girl that had Aqua sign a contract stared at what looked to be a black portal on a brick wall. She grinned at it and said, "Yes. She signed it."

The girl nodded several times and, seemingly talking to no one in particular save for the portal, said, "Yes. I understand. Everything will be fine. Now, it's their turn. They'll have to get her to convince all the players here to leave Shinra. And if they don't, then…I know. The Light will expire and darkness and death will reign forever. Meteors will fall and destroy everything!"

She sighed and said, "I know. I know. I can't interfere anymore. But Cuore can. She's not like our other sisters. She's just like. Defective and likes humans too much to hurt them."

The air shuddered and the girl said, "Okay. So, it's Cuore, Arc and the twins' turn. And…Wait, why him?"

The winds swirled about her violently and she yelled, "Alright already! Fine! But don't blame me if he goes crazy or anything! He didn't like that guy when he was human and I'm sure he really won't like him now because he's the reason why he's a mindless cyborg!"

Hearing helicopter noises, the girl gasped, jumping into the portal. It closed behind her, leaving no trace of her being there.

* * *

 _And there's the new chapter one. Hopefully this one's a lot better than the others. And I will make sure that this one will be the last of the remakes as I have more plans for this series, like sequels and such._

 _Also, Byregot is a month in FFXIV that represents July. So, this story starts off in July and dates will be very, very important in this fic. Anyway, review?_


	2. Chapter 2: Apprehension Efforts

_Mimic (2): n. A Special who can mimic various things they see, feel or hear. With normal people, they can imitate actions and voices seemingly perfectly. With other Specials, they can imitate and reproduce powers and their effects. Their limitations are only affected by their mastery of their power. International Special Categorization puts them between Categories 3 and 5, making them potentially dangerous._

 _-Specials Compendium_

Chapter Two: Apprehension Efforts

" _I…I didn't mean to…" a little brunette said._

 _A young Zack was on the floor, barely conscious as a girl had tossed a dodgeball at his head after challenging her and other children to a match. He fell to the metallic floor with a hard thud and groaned as it felt like the girl tossed a brick at his head. The other children surrounded him and then looked at the one that injured him._

" _Ooh…Tifa, you did a bad thing…" a pair of brown-haired twins said._

" _I didn't mean to. He…He…He said we were gonna play dodgeball…" the girl sniffled._

 _The blonde kid next to her, his hair arranged in spikes, glowered and muttered, "You asked for it, Zack…"_

 _Zack recovered, stood to his feet and said, "Okay. That was a cheap shot! Let's try this again! Guys on the left! Girls on the right!"_

" _Why do we gotta be on the right?" one of the girls yelled._

" _Zack, do not promote sexism amongst our newest recruits," a raven-haired teen said, entering the training room._

 _He was joined by an auburn-haired adolescent in red leather and an evil grin was on the second teen's face. Zack's face turned white as a ghost as he knew that the red-wearing teen was up to something sinister. The youth in black noticed and said, "Genesis, don't kill the kids."_

" _Angeal, they have to know the 'horrors of war'. THE HORRORS!" Genesis bellowed in his fervor and his blue eyes glowing brightly._

" _Dude, it's just a dodgeball game…" the young Angeal said._

 _Genesis ignored him and picked up the dodgeball Tifa used. He then yelled out an order to the room's computer, activating Program 46. The room changed to the interior of a gymnasium and Angeal groaned._

" _Please don't kill anyone, Gen…" Angeal said, shaking his head._

" _Can't make any promises. Now, I want you newbies to try and hit me. If you do, I'll put in a good word with the nurses and make sure that they don't stab you with needles," Genesis said, scaring everyone._

" _Huh? Needles! I don't like needles! I HATE needles! Evil, pointy and very bad for me, Mister Genesis!" the children cried._

 _Angeal gave the order for children who were already in the SOLDIER program to move out of the way. They did, leaving behind the twenty-five children recruited from Nibelheim, Solheim, Balfonheim and Modeoheim. Genesis slammed the dodgeball in his hands and channeled dark energy into it._

' _Oh no…' Zack thought._

 _Genesis, being a sadistic jerk, threw the dodgeball like a missile, hitting five of the children in one toss. Like Zack, those recruited a year ago, stared at the scene in horror and Genesis continued his relentless assault, yelling, "Bombardment! Bombardment!"_

 _After terrifying five minutes, only four children were left. They were the frightened Tifa, a standing-in-front-of-Tifa-to-protect-her Cloud, and the nearly-peed-in-their-pants Hoffman twin brothers, Luxiere and Kunsel. The identical siblings looked at each other and smiled, thinking it was the end._

 _Genesis threw a dodgeball at Kunsel's face, knocking him out instantly. Luxiere barely had time to react as he was hit in the stomach by another one and then knocked to the floor by a third. Cloud and Tifa gasped and held hands. The two closed their eyes, ready to accept their fate._

 _The redheaded Genesis grinned evilly and threw one last dodgeball, aiming for Cloud. Not wanting anymore to get knocked out, Zack ran into the path of the dodgeball, yelling, "NO! UGH!"_

 _He was hit in the face and fell to the floor. Cloud and Tifa yelled his name and Cloud asked, "ZACK! Why? Why save us?"_

" _Yeah. I did throw that ball at your head earlier," Tifa asked._

"' _Cause Genesis is a mean one…ugh…" Zack said, closing his eyes and "passing out" in a dramatic fashion._

" _MISTER GENESIS, YOU…BIG…MEANIE!" Tifa bellowed, grabbing the dodgeball next to Zack's head._

* * *

 _Tuesday, Byregot 18_ _th_ _, SOLDIER Floor, data room office, 270 days before the Fall…_

"And DONE!" Zack said, lifting his hands in the air in triumph.

He grinned and watched as a still very shy Aqua type various things into the computer. She rapidly typed and he wondered what she was putting in. He leaned over her desk and saw she was inputting data into a spreadsheet. And that spreadsheet was the missions he had done so far.

"Hey! I destroyed more monsters than that," Zack said.

"Not according to the data. It said that you only took out 85 monsters this month," Aqua told him, still typing.

"No way! It gotta been around 120!" Zack said, still peeking.

The new secretary minimized the screen, stopping him from looking, but still having him interrupt her work. With a small frown, she asked, "Don't you have a report to finish up?"

"Nope. Finished up everything yesterday," Zack answered, backing away from her and pacing around the small office in boredom.

He noticed that Aqua didn't have much in the room, save for a poster, a clock on the wall and a small, blue, star-shaped charm on her desk. He picked it up and she quickly yelled, "Give that back!"

Getting up, she snatched it from his hands and tossed it in a drawer underneath her desk. Aqua then yelled at him to leave, to which he did as he didn't want to anger her further. He shut the door behind her and left the data room. Moments later, he was greeted by a blonde in the same attire as he.

"Heya, Cloud," Zack greeted.

Cloud Strife, a 2nd class like him, peered over his shoulder and said, "I heard yelling. What did you do to her this time?"

"I didn't do anything! I was just trying to…!" Zack said.

"Zack, what did you do?!" a brunette asked, approaching the duo.

"Tifa, I didn't do anything! Honest!" Zack said, telling the truth.

Tifa Lockhart, a 3rd Class SOLDIER computer analyst transitioning to 2nd, glared and Zack yelled, "I'm being honest here! All I did was take a star-shaped charm off her desk just to look at it and she started screaming."

"Maybe she just doesn't want you taking her things," Tifa said.

Zack couldn't make any more attempts to make them believe him when another 2nd, the helmeted Kunsel, approached.

"Hey, you three better get over to the briefing room. Director Lazard wishes to see you," he told them.

"Alright. We'll be there," Cloud said for everyone.

* * *

 _Briefing room…_

Director Lazard waited for them, sitting in his usual spot. He looked up from his computer screen and pressed a few keys on the keyboard. Zack, Tifa and Cloud took their seats at the director's left and the door opened again, revealing their mentor, SOLDIER 1st Class, Angeal Hewley. He held a few files in his hands, sat at the director's right and placed them on the table.

"Now then. Onto business," Director Lazard said.

The image of a girl in white appeared on screen and Lazard told them, "We've been receiving reports of this girl among five unidentified Specials frequenting the slums. She's been seen exhibiting abilities that suggest she's a Teleporter."

The screen's image changed to that of a masked man in white and black and a preteen brunet in dark green. The masked one was armed with a katana sheathed on his left hip and the boy carried a book with him. Director Lazard's expression became serious and he told them, "These two have been seen near the Sector 5 church, near a person that is very important to President Shinra. And the man in white also has abilities similar to our silver-haired general."

"Oh, that's scary…" Tifa muttered.

"Yeah, how're we supposed to beat him?" Cloud asked.

The image changed one last time, to a girl in red and black with long, auburn hair and a boy that looked almost exactly like Genesis, but wearing glasses and armed with two knives called katars. Angeal was the one that spoke up and said, "And this one's been frequenting the upper plate. She's shown abilities similar to Genesis' as well as healing abilities like a White Mage. The boy's been seen around LOVELESS Avenue and is quite agile, fighting more like a Wutai ninja than anything else."

"So, what're we supposed to do?" Zack asked

"Well, you're to apprehend the five unidentified Specials and bring them back here for questioning. We need to know who they are, where they came from and what abilities they have. If they're from nowhere, then they'll be enlisted into the SOLDIER program. If not, then we'll have to do away with them quietly," Director Lazard told them.

The trio was told that Angeal couldn't join them as he had to train some new recruits. They were dismissed and the trio started off for the city.

* * *

 _Sector 5 church, rooftop…_

A preteen of 11 years sat behind the steeple on the Sector 5 church's roof, looking around with his green eyes for someone. He stared at the street below and held onto the steeple for dear life as he was terrified of heights. The small winds that brought the stench of the slums brushed through his semi-short, brown hair. There was no sunshine, instead artificial light came from the city plate above that covered the sky. It made the cityscape under the plate look eternally gloomy and the boy became depressed.

"This place…Mom was right. Midgar looks horrible and I can't hear the planet well from here…" the boy said to himself.

He then looked at the trash-filled, pedestrian-free road below and muttered how high up he was. It was at least fifty feet and he had no real way to land safety as he had no wings or any hovering abilities he knew of.

"I know the wanted me to stick to the rooftops so no one can see me, but…This is really high…" the boy said.

He tried to adjust his position, only to slip. His grip failed as he started tumbling towards the edge. Just before he could hurdle off the edge, the boy grabbed onto the gutters. He prematurely breathed a sigh of relief and he tried using it to climb back onto the roof, only to hear metal groaning. The gutter he held onto broke and he started falling towards concrete and metal debris behind the church.

"No, no, no-no-no!" the boy screamed.

His saving grace came in the form of a white and black blur. The next thing he knew, he was standing straight and saw a man in white and black kneeling at his feet. The man, with short, messily layered silver hair and a steel mask covering his face, looked up at him and the boy said, "X-5, where were you? We're supposed to stay hidden."

Not moving from his kneeling position, the oddly named X-5 said in a computerized voice, "Scan of Midgar Slums complete,…Analyzing…Scans show the location of Category 5 Cetra, Aerith Gainsborough…Frequents Sector 5 church and Sector 7 slums marketplace…"

"So, where is she now? X-5, tell me where she is," the boy told him.

"Request denied. Archaeus Fair…Mission parameters…" X-5 said.

Archaeus, or Arc for short, shook his head and said, "I know the mission. I can only watch from a distance and protect Mom and Dad from any monsters from our time seeking to kill them. And then the two weeks before the Fall, next Thaliak 31st, we're to take them away from here."

"Not two weeks…two months...Mrs. Fair and Lady Acquamarina ordered that Archaeus Fair, Alexander Rhapsodos, Alicia Rhapsodos, Cuore and robotic unit SCX-005 watch over their counterparts in this world until Halone 31st, 2007th year of the 9th Lumen Era," X-5 said.

He stood straight up and asked, "Permission to canvas the upper plate?"

"Um…If we're supposed to stay out of sight, then I wouldn't do it," Arc told him.

"Permission to canvas the upper plate?" X-5 asked again.

"I told you that I wouldn't recommend it. I mean, you could, but…" Arc said.

The robot didn't seem to understand and asked the question a third time. Remembering that he had no will of his own, Arc said, "Okay. Just stay out of sight. And I'll do the same."

X-5 nodded and metal wings burst from his back. With a strong flap of his wings, the robot became airborne. Moments later, he flew off, heading towards the plate. Arc shook his head and muttered, "Man…you really aren't the same…I guess…I guess those Maenads were right and that I shouldn't get my hopes up."

A snarl forced him to turn around and he saw a very emaciated, scaly black, humanoid creature with long black tendrils for hair crawling out of a black portal behind him. It locked its burning red eyes onto Arc's green ones and roared violently, revealing sharp, jet black teeth. Standing on its hind legs, it took a swipe at Arc and the boy jumped back.

It took another swipe with its sharp-as-daggers claws and Arc jumped back again, landing on his backside in the streets in front of the church. The beast jumped into the air and dove towards him. Arc rolled out of the way and the creature landed where he had been sitting.

Quickly getting to his feet, Arc's hands began pulsating with a harsh green light. The light from his right hand turned into a sword while the left turned into a small shield. Metal armor suddenly covered his arms, torso, legs and neck while a mask covered his face. Before he could fight, the doors to the church opened and a young brunette in a blue dress appeared.

"Hey lady, get back inside!" Arc called out.

The young woman was frozen in place at the sight of the monster and it took notice. The creature started for her when Arc yelled, "Hey! Mister Ugly Monster Guy! Over here! Woohoo!"

Its attention didn't deviate from the brunette and Arc yelled, "Hey, Big Ugly that looks like the 'Moon Presence' from 'Bloodbound'!"

The young woman snapped out of it as the monster rushed for her. She slammed the doors to the church shut and the beast rammed into it. Arc gasped and threw his small shield at the monster like a Frisbee. The weapon hit it on the back of the head and its attention was finally brought back to Arc.

In a very childish manner, expected as the boy was only 11, Arc shook his butt at it and said, "Come and get me instead! Nah-nah!"

The monster roared, rushing for him much faster than Arc anticipated. He held up his small shield, as it quickly reappeared in his hand, and went into a defensive posture. That was useless as the beast swung and hit the shield very hard, causing Arc to stagger. It then followed up with a swift kick, sending the boy flying into a pile of debris.

"Ow…I didn't think that would make it really mad," Arc groaned.

* * *

"WHOA! What is that thing?"

Zack, split up from Cloud and Tifa to investigate the Sector 5 slums, saw a giant, black, scaly beast looming towards someone clad head to toe in aquamarine-tinted, mythril armor. The person looked to be no more than a child, dressed kind of like a superhero to Zack. Not wanting them to get hurt, Zack rushed over with his weapon, a claymore called the _Hardedge,_ at the ready.

He leapt into the air and performed a jump strike. Or attempted to as the beast swiftly spun around, roundhouse kicking Zack. The SOLDIER crashed into the nearby church, leaving a giant hole in the church doors.

On his back in the inside of the decrepit church, a dazed Zack muttered, "What just happened?"

"Oh! Are you okay?"

A brunette in blue approached him cautiously and he said, "Y-Yeah."

Shakily getting to his feet, Zack was going to tell her to stay put when he spotted the armored figure attacking the monster. They deftly used a weapon that looked exactly like the _Hardedge_ , slashing and cutting the beast.

"Stay here," he ordered, running back outside.

* * *

"Why you…BIG PALOOKA!" Arc yelled, cutting and stabbing the monster.

Its hair-like tendrils were cut, spewing black mist and ink-like liquid everywhere. Its arms were covered in wounds as well as a few stab wounds in its shoulders. Backing away, the beast tried to flee when the SOLDIER reappeared.

He leapt into the air again and slashed the monster's back, causing it to stumble forward. Pained, it fell to the ground and the man joined up with Arc.

"You okay, kid?" he asked.

"Uh…I was going to ask you that…since you're bleeding from your head," Arc said, pointing at the familiar man's forehead.

The raven-haired SOLDIER placed a hand there and spotted the bleeding.

"Oh, that's not good…" he muttered.

The fallen beast rose up again and snarled. Feeling a surge of power within him, Arc looked down at his hands and saw them glowing yellow. He looked to his left and the SOLDIER's arms began glowing a soft green.

"What the…? This only happens if I'm learning a new…" he said.

He looked at Arc and he said, "Let's just take this thing out now. Just make sure that you don't get bit."

* * *

"Wait, what?" Zack asked.

He watched as the boy sprinted towards the monster, the weapon in his hands changing into two katars. Power surged through him again and green wisps of light enveloped his hands. It extended to his whole body and Zack's dizziness and the wound he sustained disappeared. Feeling rejuvenated, Zack joined the armored figure and the two rapidly assailed the monster with sword swipes, lunging stabs and jump strikes.

On its last legs, the beast stumbled and took another swipe at Zack. He defended himself with his blade and parried. The armored boy lunged forward, countering with five katar strikes and one stab.

Zack performed an overhead swing, launching the beast into the air. The armored boy nodded at Zack and the weapons changed back into the claymore. The two, as if knowing what to do next, jumped into the air and used a move Zack could've sworn only he copied and modified from the SOLDIER hero Sephiroth. That move was Octaslash.

The beast suffered their relentless, rapid slashes and was tossed to the ground at the final double cut. It landed onto the ground with a hard thud, shaking the area and leaving a small crater. The duo landed with ease and Zack was both confused and impressed. That is, until the armor the boy wore shifted and slid off his body and into a circular device around his neck.

The child looked no more than 11 and had vibrant green eyes, short, brown hair and pale skin. What Zack couldn't shake was the feeling that the boy's face looked a lot like his when he was younger. He didn't remember his parents saying that he had any cousins or siblings.

"Um…Hi. I'm Arc. Arc Gains. And that thing we fought is called a 'Cie'th'. Just…um…Just don't try to fight those things without any armor. Because if you do and get bit, you'll get really, really sick and could die," the boy, Arc, said with a nervous smile.

"Uh, thanks. I'm Zack Fair, SOLDIER 2nd class 'Mimic'," Zack said, extending a hand to introduce himself.

The boy looked exactly like the one showing during their briefing and Zack thought to befriend him instead of fighting him. Maybe the boy would go willing, Zack thought. Arc nodded and said, "Um…I…I don't want to go with you, yet. I'll go when it's safe to and it's not now."

Zack was taken aback as he didn't know the boy could read minds too. Arc suddenly disappeared, his image swiftly fading away. Once gone, Zack looked around, trying to spot or sense him. He couldn't.

* * *

 _With Cloud, Sector 7 plate…_

As he walked through the residential area, Cloud was on the lookout for the five that SOLDIER was after. He only found older Midgar residents that were outside, enjoying what sunshine that filtered through the cloudy skies. Finding a small outdoor café, he went and bought himself a coffee as he hadn't anything that morning. Once done and asking around about the five, he only received a few responses as many of the elders still didn't trust Specials even after the initiation and great track record of SOLDIER.

One told him to go to LOVELESS Avenue as one of the young men, the one who looked a lot like Genesis, frequented the area. Thanking the elder, an older woman, Cloud headed straight there. On the way, he received a call from Tifa, who asked, "Did you find any of them yet?"

"Nope. Still lookin'," Cloud told her.

"Well, Zack's just reported back. Said that he found one of them, a little boy in green, but he disappeared before he could catch them," Tifa said.

"So, what about you?" Cloud asked.

Tifa sighed and said, "I thought I saw one of them, but she disappeared into the crowd before I could…Hey, wait! Wait up! I'll call you back, 'kay?"

She hung up and Cloud resumed his search.

LOVELESS Avenue served as the city's theatre district, with three large ones all dedicated to the showing of classic plays like "LOVELESS" and "I Want to Be Your Canary". There were also a few movie theatres, bars and clubs and all were quite active at night. As it was day, there were hardly as many people there as in other district. So, Cloud thought that it would be easier to find at least two of the five. He was wrong.

After canvasing the local bars, clubs and even speaking with patrolling Shinra infantrymen, the 2nd class couldn't find anyone. Walking towards Sector 8, Cloud was ready to give up and return to Tifa when he saw a red blur sprint pass him. That same blur knocked over an infantryman running towards him. Seeing the flash of red heading into an alley and onto a rooftop, Cloud sprinted, following it.

He then slid to a halt in a dead end alley and looked up. He could sense something powerful on the roof and thought it may have been at least one or three of the fugitives. Cloud's sky blue eyes began to glow with a harsh light and his body was enveloped by that same light. He jumped, leaping a few stories into the air and landed on a rooftop.

Once there, he was knocked down by a swift kick to his chest. Landing on his back, Cloud shook his head and saw the young, redheaded woman from the report. She was dressed in a red and black Goth-Lolita dress and her long hair tied back by a black ribbon. In her right hand was a rapier that looked a lot like Commander Rhapsodos' weapon, the _Apocalypse._

"Oh, it's just you," she said, staring at Cloud with harsh, emerald-hued eyes.

"Hey, stop!" Cloud yelled, trying to get his bearings.

The young woman stood her ground, holding her rapier in a battle stance. When Cloud finally got to his feet, he readied his weapon and asked, "Who are you? Why are you in Midgar?"

"Wow, Dad was right. Muttering to the point you're almost inaudible and kinda straight to the point. And your hair looks like a chocobo's butt," the young woman laughed.

'My hair's not like a chocobo's butt,' the SOLDIER thought.

"Anyway, you're wondering who I am. But I can't tell you just yet. All I can tell you is that I will protect you, my dad, and as many SOLDIERs as best I can. As long as you don't capture me and my friends, we'll protect you, Cloud," the young woman said.

She disappeared in a burst of black feathers before Cloud could apprehend her.

* * *

 _With Tifa…_

Hanging up on Cloud after spotting something flying above the Sector 1 station, Tifa put away her tablet back into the small pack she carried around her waist and gave chase. The brunette ran through the industrialized area, seeing the winged figure stopping and landing on a pipe every few minutes. The figure flew passed the gate leading to the nearby reactor and Tifa slid to a stop as the guards refused her entry.

"You guys didn't just see that? Someone or something flew into the reactor," Tifa said.

"Nice try. But we _humans_ can guard this place without SOLDIER's help," an infantryman told her.

Tifa rolled her eyes, knowing where the conversation was going. With a huff, she said, "We're all human here and something just flew into a highly restricted area! So, if we can put petty differences aside…"

"Petty differences? Seriously, I don't know what President Shinra see in you freaks of nature. But we can handle security. So go on and do whatever it is that you 'Specials' do," the second said.

"Whatever. Your job loss when they find out that you let a monster in the reactor…" Tifa murmured, walking away.

Back on the train heading back to Sector 8, Tifa was going to call it in, telling her commanding officer that something slipped pass security at the reactor. Before she could, someone asked, "Are you Tifa Lockhart?"

She looked up from her tablet, seeing Commander Genesis Rhapsodos. But…something was off about him. He wore glasses on his face over his green eyes.

'Did Genesis have…? No, he has blue eyes, I'm sure of it,' she thought.

The guy also had on a red shirt underneath a black leather jacket, so unlike Genesis, who preferred red. Black cargo pants, shoes and gloves covered the rest of his body and he sat in front of her in the empty SOLDIER train car. Tifa spotted two knife-like weapons in their scabbards on his waist and steeled herself for a potential fight.

He noticed and told her, holding his hands out innocently, "Whoa there, I'm not gonna fight you. I just gotta tell you something."

"Tell me what? You're one of the ones that we're looking for, Mister 'Cosplaying-as-Commander-Rhapsodos'," Tifa said.

The young man was confused, mumbling, "'Cosplay'? Oh, yeah…Um…I should've known. I look just like him and all…Oops…"

"What do you mean 'Oops'?" Tifa asked.

"Oh. Well…I…um…All I can say is that I'm related to him and that capturing me is not a good idea. As long as me and my friends are around, you guys and Midgar will be safe. So, just keep an eye on that Aqua lady for us and we'll protect you guys in return," Genesis' apparent relative told her.

He vanished in a shower of black feathers before she could further question him.

* * *

 _And there's the revamped Zack, Tifa and Cloud introductions. Just like the very first draft, the trio are hunters of other Specials, sending them straight to the Shinra building after capturing them. But unlike the first draft, Aqua's not a part of it._

 _Also, Angeal Hewley is Zack's mentor in Crisis Core: FFVII. He was best friends with Sephiroth and another named Genesis Rhapsodos, who also appears in Dirge of Cerberus. A bit of trivia for those who don't follow Final Fantasy. And I hope that they'll make an appearance in Kingdom Hearts soon._

 _-miano53_


	3. Chapter 3: The Newcomer

_Shadow Ripper: n. A Special with the abilities of darkness manipulation. The abilities are limited, compared to their "evolved" counterparts such as Dark Tamers, Dark Knights and Shadow Stalkers. Their known abilities include creating dark portals or "corridors of darkness", manipulating shadows to form weapons and firing off blasts of dark energy. If those abilities aren't controlled, the Special will "devolve", turning into fiendish beings called Dark Consumers. International Special Categorization places them between Categories 4 and 5, making them very dangerous to themselves and civilians._

 _-Specials' Compendium_

Chapter Three: The Newcomer

" _Terra? Hey, Terra? Are you okay?" little Aqua called out._

 _She peeked through the bars at the cell across from her as the girls and boys had been separated from their friends who had been, according to the adults in black cloaks, "promoted". She didn't know what that meant and thought it meant they were going to get more food and beds. Instead of that, her only friend in that dark place was taken, along with twelve other children, to the upper levels._

 _For a week, she didn't see him or the other children. But that night, only Terra returned and the guards that brought him back had disappointed expressions on their faces. They then muttered about how he was the only one useful and threw the unconscious boy into the separate, empty cell._

 _The other children joined her, one of them a redhead named Lea. He, the same age as Aqua, about five years old, sat next to Aqua and nudged her._

" _He okay?" he asked._

 _Another five-year-old, a boy with sky blue hair similar to Aqua, scoffed and said, "Lea, you can see that he's not okay. But, something's really, really wrong. Like he stinks more than usual."_

" _Isa, we're all stinky!" Lea yelled._

" _No! I mean that he smells like…!" Isa tried to explain._

 _A guard slammed a stick into the cell bars, yelling, "Back to sleep, freaks!"_

 _The kids returned to their sleeping positions and Aqua laid on the ground, facing the bars and staring at Terra. The guard left after a few moments and Lea whispered, "I hope I don't go up there. I don't wanna get sick like Terra or anything."_

" _Yeah. If they try to take me, I'll punch and kick 'em!" young Aqua said._

" _But what if they grab you by the waist? They did that to that girl, Mira," Isa asked, not feeling hopeful._

" _Then we'll bite them!" Lea answered._

" _But what if…?" Isa asked._

 _He was interrupted as loud groaning, followed by deep, rumbling growl came from Terra's cell. The trio sat back up and watched as Terra curled up into a ball, writhing in pain. His body began to convulse and Aqua yelled, "Hey! Guards! Guys! Somebody help! Terra's in trouble!"_

 _Guards rushed to the cell, but no one attempted to enter. The other children ran to their cell doors and tried to see what was going on. But the many guards blocked the view and all Aqua could hear was the disgusting sounds of flesh and fabric ripping, bones breaking and muscles popping. She covered her ears and screamed as the noises were too disturbing to her._

 _Lea held onto her as well as Isa, the two just as terrified as her. Several adults in black cloaks appeared, rushing to the front of the cell and an ear-splitting roar cut through the area. The others in adjacent cells peeked out to see what was going on and several of the imprisoned adults gasped in horror._

" _Ah, so the weapon experiments were a success. A Special can be turned into a monster, a living weapon. Heh-heh…That will show those in Shinra and those Gardenians that you all aren't human. You all ARE monsters! Ha-HA! KYA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" a portly man in black robes cackled._

* * *

 _Byregot 3_ _rd_ _, Monday, office…_

Marisa, a twelve-year-old girl in black and red, stood in front of a large wooden desk with various trinkets and a laptop computer on top of it. She stood at attention, waiting for an older woman of 72 years to speak. The elder in red, her long, chocolate-brown hair framing her face, laughed and asked, "Why are you standing like that?"

"Uh…Um, well, I was told to treat you with great respect. So, I'm standing at attention, ma'am! Er, I mean, Lady Forza," the girl told her.

Lady Forza smirked and asked, "So, you wish to stay here, Marisa?"

Marisa nodded and said, "Yes."

"You needn't be so formal, child. You can speak to me as you normally. Speak plain Gardenian," Lady Forza told her.

Marisa nodded and asked, "Okay. Can I please stay here? I've nowhere else to go and I was supposed to…"

"Are you sure? Once you join us, you will have to follow the rules of this house," Lady Forza said, standing up from her seat.

"I know and I'm sure I can follow them," Marisa told her.

"Just remember that this is not a sorority or a club. This is a home, a home for Specials and those who sympathize with them who've lost theirs. The people here see this place as sanctuary due to our current social status in this world. To most, we are seen as fugitives, freaks of nature and/or evil apparitions, especially if one was to show their powers in public. But, we still protect them, from the shadows, to keep them from the looming darkness," Lady Forza explained.

Marisa nodded and asked, "From monsters, right?"

"Yes. From monsters and from those that would shatter the fragile peace we have by staying incognito," Lady Forza answered.

* * *

Outside, a lanky boy with brown, spikey hair and a girl with vibrant red leaned against the mahogany doors, eavesdropping on the conversation within. The boy, in his baggy clothes of red and white, pressed his ear against the door. The girl, in her fitted clothes of white and purple, was on her knees and trying to peer through the doors' keyhole.

"I can't hear what they're saying. Can you see anything, Kairi?" the boy asked.

Kairi could only see fuzziness and said, "Nope. You sure you can't hear them, Sora?"

"What are you two doing?"

The two jumped up and saw their older friend, Riku. He was an oddity to most as he had platinum blonde hair, pale skin, turquoise eyes with slits for irises and black, scaly skin across the bridge of his nose. Clothes of yellow and blue covered him, but his arms were still exposed, revealing a large marking depicting a knight riding a dragon on his upper left arm and more blackened, scaly skin.

He glared at them and asked again, "What are you guys doing?"

Trying to look innocent, Sora said, "There's this new girl that just went into Lady Forza's office. We just wanted to know who she is. That's all."

"And she's got a weird aura about her. Like there's this purple energy that surrounds her…similar to yours and Fang's," Kairi said.

"So, she's an 'Au Ra'?" Riku asked.

Kairi shook her head and said, "I think she's a Shadow Ripper or another dark-based Special. But she's kinda odd as I don't sense a 'guardian'."

"So, what is she?"

Sora's raven-haired twin, Shoji, appeared. He was much more muscular than his younger twin and golden eyes were in a frown of disapproval. Like Sora, he favored red in his clothes, but his were black and red, a contrast to Sora's white and red.

"Seriously, what are you doing?" he asked.

"Eavesdropping," Riku replied.

"On who?" Shoji asked, joining his twin.

The two kept their ears at the door and Riku sighed in disappointment.

"Guys, if Lady Forza wanted us to know what's going on, she would've told us by…" Riku started.

" _Sora, Riku, Kairi, Shoji, get away from my door. I'll introduce you to the newcomer later."_

The four ran from the door as the voice scared them off.

* * *

Forza Institute for Higher Learning was a large chateau, situated in the western highlands of Traversa County. The home, its exterior mostly ancient stonework, held 150 rooms in its walls. Fifty were used for classrooms while the other 100 included bedrooms, a dining hall, a kitchen, training room, two libraries, a meeting hall and three infirmaries. In the first floor library, Lady Forza gathered students that stayed behind for the summer.

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Shoji and the blonde haired twins, Ventus and Roxas, were among them and they saw the newcomer standing in front of the 40 students. She seemed to be shy as she twiddled her thumbs and looked overall uncomfortable. Kairi scanned her, looking at the girl's black and red attire that looked awfully warm for the summer weather. She had a thick, black shirt, a red and black checkered skirt, knee-high socks and shoes.

'Maybe she comes from the mountains?' Kairi thought.

"Everyone this is Marisa Monteverde, a Shadow Ripper. She comes to us from a somewhat…regressive place. But, she has now found sanctuary here and I'm sure she'll make every effort to conform to our ways," Lady Forza said, introducing her.

Marisa meekly waved a hand and said, "Hi."

"So, she's the one? Sure she's not your granddaughter or something? She looks a lot like you," Riku asked.

"Very sure she's not related to me, Riku. Anyway, Marisa, I trust that you will introduce yourself to everyone. Everyone, please do not smother her. She is new here, but she's not an exotic creature or anything," Lady Forza told them.

She left, leaving poor Marisa behind. Most of the students left, not really caring to stay. That left Kairi and her friends in the room with her. Six other children also stayed behind, as they were curious about the girl.

"Oh! Oh! Ooh! You're new here? Yay!" a girl in green asked.

"Um, yes. Yes. I'm new. My name is Marisa Monteverde. What is yours?" the newcomer asked

"I'm Rydia Myst! A Summoner!" the five-year-old Rydia said proudly.

Another Summoner, a girl the same age as Rydia, said, "Me too, but I'm Eiko Carol! And the odd kid with the pointy hat is Vivi. Vivi Orunitia. And over there's Marlene Wallace, Dajh Katzroy and Relm Arrowny. Dajh and Marlene's normal, but Relm over there's a 'Pictomancer'."

Vivi, age seven, pulled down his hat and muttered, "Hi. I'm…I'm a 'Black Mage'."

"I'm Relm and, yup, I'm a 'Pictomancer'," the nine-year-old blonde girl said, nodding rapidly.

"A what now?" Marisa asked.

"He's a 'Black Mage', which means he can use the elements in different projectile attacks. And Relm's a 'Pictomancer', meaning she can make pictures come to life. It's kinda creepy," Sora said.

The bandana-wearing Relm glared at him and he added, "And I'm a Wind Rider and so is Shoji. And Roxas and Ventus. That means we can control the wind and fly around and stuff."

Shoji nodded and Roxas said, "Roxas Fiato. And that's my brother Ven."

"Heya!" Ven greeted her with a handshake.

Marisa reciprocated and Kairi raised her hand slightly, saying, "I'm what you call a 'Lucepura'. Like my cousin, Xion, who's an 'Excalibur', I can use the light around me to do a lot of things, like attacking and healing. But, her sister, Naminé, is a 'Memoria', meaning she can manipulate people's memories."

"Yeah, the downside of having a parent with no powers and one who does. You can get random and weaker abilities," Riku noted.

Marisa, still staring at the light haired one, asked, "So, what are…?"

"An 'Au Ra'," he responded quickly.

"An 'aura'?" Marisa asked.

Shoji answered for him and said, "Lizard brain here's what we call an 'Au Ra'."

"Lizard brain?" Riku muttered, glaring.

Shoji ignored him and continued with, "Like they get dragon-like features, strength, some abilities and able to ride dragons easily like a 'Dragoon'. In exchange, they get really scaly patches of skin on their bodies and lizard-like eyes that see in the dark."

"And for the longest, Shoji here thought Riku had a forked tongue like a snake," Sora admitted.

"Hey! I did not!" Shoji yelled at his twin.

"Yes you did, Wind Bag," Riku said.

Shoji confronted him and yelled, "You wanna start something, huh? Ya, lame-brained snake?"

"Hey! You were the one that started it! Spikey-haired freak!" Riku retorted, also yelling.

The two were ready to fight, according to Kairi, again, when a tall brunet broke the two up.

"Okay, do we have to go through this again?" he asked.

Marisa gasped and quickly turned away. Kairi noticed that she had started to tremble and was trying hard not to. Shoji glared at the brown and white wearing newcomer and snarled, "Stay out of this, Terra! Riku's made fun of my hair for the last time!"

"Hey, my hair's like that too!" Sora yelled.

Terra kept the two apart with ease and asked, "Now, who's this?"

"This is Marisa Monteverde, a Shadow Ripper. Marisa, this is Terra Dal Monte. He's an 'Earthshaker'," Ven said, introducing the two.

Marisa didn't make eye contact, despite Terra's friendly demeanor and their shaking hands. Kairi thought her behavior rather peculiar, as if she was terrified of him.

"Um, nice to meet all of you. But I would very much like to go to my room," Marisa said.

Even her speech pattern was odd to Kairi, as most people at the institute never spoke so…formally. Relm and Eiko agreed to take her to the east wing, the girls' wing. Once gone, Terra was quickly railed by a worried Ven, Sora and Roxas.

"Dude, where were you?" Roxas yelled.

"Shh!" Dajh shushed.

Terra held up his hands and said, "I was on…"

"You didn't come to the meeting! We got a new kid and everything!" Ven added.

"I was on a…!" Terra tried to say.

"Shh!" Marlene said, trying to quiet them down.

Sora was the last to yell, "We were all worried sick! You were supposed to come back two days ago!"

"Can I at least…?" Terra started.

"SHUSH! Guys, we're in a library! So, shush!" Rydia yelled.

"You're just as loud as them," Riku muttered.

Terra rolled his eyes and said, "I was trying to say I just got back ten minutes ago. I was on a mission in Outset County, over out in the east. There was a 'Vampyr Bat' infestation at a cave over there and I was sent to clear them out before anyone got hurt. Then on my way back here, my motorcycle broke down. So, yeah. It took me a while to get back here, but I got this."

He handed Ven and Roxas blue baseball-like foam bats called Struggle Bats, used for Struggle Tournaments. To Sora and Shoji, he gave the twins gift cards for free Sea-Salt ice cream. Riku was given a copy of the game Dead Fantasy VI. Kairi was given a pink and white star charm for a necklace she was making. And the kids were given candy.

"At least I didn't come back empty handed," Terra told them.

After everyone showed their thanks, with Shoji grumbling about how he didn't want to go and get the ice cream himself, the group split up and returned to their daily activities.

* * *

 _That night, 3_ _rd_ _floor bedrooms…_

" _Miss Kairi! No!"_

" _Marisa, run!"_

" _Mom…I can't leave…!"_

" _Just run! I'll catch up!"_

" _Yo-You're lying."_

" _Marisa, just go. If I don't make it and you manage not to reach Midgar, find a woman named Lady Maria Theresa Forza. She'll help you."_

" _But what if that changes…?"_

" _We need it to change. If not, then everything we've ever done will be all for nothing."_

* * *

"Mom…No, I don't want to leave you…" Marisa moaned in her sleep.

She tossed and turned in bed and couldn't wake from the nightmare she was having. Kairi, who shared a room with her, peered down from the upper bunkbed and watched as the girl with worry. She had just awakened from her sleep, where she dreamt that she was speaking with her deceased mother and father. Across the darkened room were two other bunkbeds, belonging to her cousins, Xion and Naminé. Due to them visiting their father back in the capital, it was empty and Kairi felt lonely most days.

"No…I can't! I can't leave!" Marisa moaned again, this time a bit louder.

Kairi gasped as the two lamps, study desk, three chest of drawers and throw rug started floating on their own. Black wisps came from the trapped-in-a-night-terror girl and the air suddenly felt frigid. The tan-painted walls and windows started to froze over with unnatural black ice and Kairi jumped out of bed as she couldn't breathe. Running out of the room and slamming the hardwood doors behind her, the girl gasped for air as it felt like something was choking her in the room. She yelped, jumped to the opposite wall as she saw that same black mist and ice creep up from under the door.

As if sensing the darkness, an older teen by the name of Oerba Yun Fang, rushed out of her bedroom. Another door opened up and the fuchsia-haired siblings, Serah and Claire Farron, aka "Lightning", came out and looked around for the source of the off energy. The other girls, ten in total, peered out of their rooms or stood at the0ir doors, wondering what was going on.

"Kairi, what's happening in there?" Fang, an Au Ra, asked, looking at the darkness-covered bedroom door.

"Um, I don't know. But…" Kairi started.

Lightning, the eldest on the floor, looked at another teen wearing pink and said, "Tina, go and get Lady Forza. Everyone back to…"

"NO!" they heard Marisa shout.

A loud boom was heard and the entire floor shook, scaring everyone. The youngest ones, around three to five years old and six in number, started crying and the older ones tried to calm them down. Terrified, Kairi slowly opened the door to see the room's furniture scattered all over the place. Marisa, awake and terrified, was hovering in midair and fell to the floor when Kairi and her locked eyes.

"Ow…Um…I'm…I'm so sorry. I'm sorry," she said, quickly moving the furniture back in place.

" _Everything alright up there?"_

"Yes, everything's okay, Lady Forza. The newbie's just had a nightmare. That's all," Lightning responded.

Kairi joined Marisa in putting the room back together, surprisingly joined by Fang and Lightning. Serah went back into the hall, ushering the other kids back to bed. Kairi and Marisa pushed the study desk back, near the head of Kairi's bed. After situating the books and other items that were on it, Kairi and she resituated the throw rug while Lightning and Fang moved the chest of drawers back in their places.

"Um, th-thank…thank you," Marisa said.

"Don't mention it," Fang said, putting one of the lamps on a drawer and plugging it back in.

She then introduced herself and Marisa asked, "You're an 'Aura' too?"

"Au Ra. And yeah, I am. Considered a 'Category 4'. The scales on my forehead and neck gave it away?" the eighteen-year-old asked.

"That and the black scales on your arms, next to your birthmark. And the glowing, lizard eyes…and the fangs…" Marisa said.

Fang rolled her eyes and Lightning asked, "So what happened? Nightmare?"

Marisa nodded and Kairi told her, "Don't worry. Most of us had nightmares when we first got here."

Lightning shook her head and said, "Just try not to destroy the house or set anything on fire."

"Like how Lea did when he had that nightmare?" Fang asked.

"Nearly burned down the house," Lightning grumbled.

Marisa looked worried and Kairi said, "Well, the twins were able to put them out."

"And it wasn't as bad as what you did three years ago," Fang added.

Lightning's eyes went wide and she said, "I…It wasn't that bad."

"You unleashed a power surge and knocked out the power here," Fang said.

"Wasn't that bad," Lightning retorted.

"In the middle of a heatwave," Fang added.

Kairi, seeing a confused Marisa, said, "Lightning and her sister are Arc Knights, meaning they can control electricity."

"Seriously, it wasn't that bad. We survived, didn't we?" Lightning said, leaving the room.

Fang looked the two over and then the room, saying, "Well. I see everything's back to the way it was. Now, please don't attempt to destroy this floor again."

The door was shut and Marisa apologized again. Kairi shook her head and asked, "What was your nightmare about?

She sat on the floor, on the throw rug, and Marisa sat on her bottom bed. The young Shadow Ripper sighed and told Kairi, "I come from a place where…Let's just say that it's at world's end. Specials are practically nonexistent there and if one was discovered, they would face a horrible fate. Monsters roam around, unopposed, and the government could care less on the wellbeing of the land."

"Wow…That's awful," Kairi said.

"And I was supposed to go to Midgar, to get help and stop the crisis. But I wound up here. I don't know what happened after I jumped in that portal, but I was knocked off course by something and separated from my friends. And if we don't stop that crisis…this world will see its end," Marisa explained.

Kairi's face paled and she asked, "End…how?"

"Darkness will reign forever as the Light expires, inviting death to all…" Marisa said.

Disturbed, Kairi asked her, "Um…So, is that why you had such a bad nightmare?"

"Yes. I…I just want to save everyone. But I don't know how I can do it," Marisa told her.

Kairi placed a hand over hers in reassurance, saying, "Don't worry. If anyone can find a way to stop all that, it's Lady Forza. She saved the world plenty of times with Lord Paolo, Dr. Crescent, Master Eraqus and my uncle, Ansem."

Marisa didn't look relieved or confident at what she was saying, but Kairi continued with, "If anyone can stop the world ending…again, it's her. And we'll help too. So don't worry about it."

"Okay. I won't," Marisa told her, giving her a small smile.

* * *

 _And there's the new and, hopefully, improved chapter three. I thought to expedite the story, but at the same time, flesh out as much as I can with the characters. So, hopefully this version will make more sense._

 _-miano53_


	4. Chapter 4: The Ghost of Twilight Town

_Thanks to those who are still reading this fic, despite the many times it has been revamped. But I promise this one will be the last time._

 _Anyway, a bit of information for those not familiar with the Final Fantasy series. Dajh Katzroy appears in FFXIII as Sazh Katzroy's son and Sanctum L'Cie. Marlene Wallace is Barret Wallace's adopted daughter in FFVII and helps out a bit in the main game as well as in Advent Children. Rydia of Mist is a summoner from FFIV and joins the party after her village is destroyed. Eiko Carol, from FFIX, is also a summoner from a village called Madain Sari. Lastly, Relm Arrowny is from FFVI and joins the party after they visited Thamasa._

 _Without further ado, here's chapter four._

 _-miano53_

* * *

" _Specials' powers vary from the superhuman to the seemingly supernatural. To keep tabs on such people, the World Court issued a rating system to assign varying levels for Specials. The assignments are similar to how weather phenomena such as tornadoes and hurricanes, using the term 'category'. The weakest are called 'Category 1 Specials' while the strongest and seemingly most dangerous are 'Category 5 Specials."_

 _-excerpt from C. Chere's 5_ _th_ _report on Specials_

Chapter Four: The "Ghost" of Twilight Town

" _Um…T-Terrra?" little Aqua asked, looking from her cell bars._

 _She, along with Lea, stared at the monstrous sight before them. A demon-like monster thrashed about, slashing at nothing and ramming into the bars. Just moments ago, a dazed Terra was sitting in the place of it, not moving an inch all day. When they had returned for the night and placed back in the cells, Terra fell to his side and transformed into the dark creature before their eyes._

 _The children screamed, only for help not to arrive. They moved to the far wall of the cell, hiding as the monster rampaged within its. It happened every night for the past five months, since the black clad adults brought him back from those 'experiments'. The children would return from mining and hide as Terra would transform into that creature, ramming into the cell doors and viciously snarling at everything and everyone._

 _That night was no different. After his transformation, the monster jumped onto the bars and started climbing them, revealing its clawed hands and feet. Aqua watched as it kept roaring and swiping at the air._

" _Um…A-Are…A-Are you in there, Terra?" little Aqua called out._

 _The monster stopped its rampage, locking its beady yellow eyes onto Aqua's blue ones. It snarled for a few moments then calmed down. Its breathing slowed and it reached out for Aqua. The girl backed away and the monster made a noise that vaguely sounded like a whine._

" _T-Terra?" Aqua asked._

 _The creature growled and in a bestial voice, whispered, "_ _ **A-A..Aqu-Aqua…**_ _"_

" _Did it just…? Did that thing just say your name, Aqua?" Lea asked, bravely moving where Aqua sat._

 _Isa didn't seem to want to move and kept to the back along with the other children. The monster whined again and called out Aqua's name. The little girl cried, sensing a small light within and said, "You're still in there…"_

* * *

"GAH!" Relm gasped as she jolted awake from having a bad dream and nearly hit her head on the bars holding up the top bunk bed.

She looked around her room, similar to Kairi's, and saw Rydia, Marlene and Eiko still asleep. Eiko held onto her friend/guardian, Mog, and Rydia clutched onto her Whyt plushie. Marlene snored as she had one leg extended out from the covers and one of her pillows on the floor.

A sudden urge to draw overcame Relm and she pulled out one of her sketchbooks and a box of colored pencils from under her bed. Due to the lack of light in the room, the girl quietly headed for the door, opened it and stepped outside. She closed the bedroom door, found a spot in the lit-by-nightlights hall to draw and sat down.

Pulling out pencils in black, purple, brown, yellow and orange, Relm fervently began drawing what her nightmare was about. As she sketched, the images of a large, black purple demon standing over a girl in orange and two boys, one in green and the other in red and white, appeared.

" _Relm! Come to my chambers, quickly!"_

"Wait, I'm not done yet, Lady Forza," Relm said to the voice.

" _Hurry and bring the drawing. Lightning, Fang, Snow, wake up and come to my office. Now."_

* * *

 _Lady Forza's office, 1:30 a.m.…_

In her night attire of a white tanktop and brown shorts, Lightning grumbled as she had ventured off into the land of sleep. Standing at the door to the headmistress' office, the female Arc Knight was soon joined by Fang, who wore a purple nightgown. Moments later, Serah's boyfriend, a Frost Knight named Snow Villers, appeared. His blonde hair was a mess and his white shirt and black pants combo looked rather dirty, as if he hadn't washed the attire in days. There was a bit of a stench too, but Lightning couldn't dwell on it as she saw Relm, carrying one of her sketchbooks, running towards them.

"Hey! Is she in there?" the girl asked.

"Just got here. Man, I was having a good dream too," Snow said.

Lightning opened the door and Relm was the first one to bolt in. The elderly woman was covered in a dark red housecoat and grabbed Relm's sketchbook. She looked at it with a worried gaze and Fang asked, "So, why did ya wake us up? I just went to bed 30 minutes ago."

The headmistress ignored her, muttering, "I thought it was sealed away. Now it's only a matter of time until it attacks someone…"

"Uh, I don't know why I had a dream about this giant, black demon-thing. But I do know that something about to go down with it," Relm said.

Remembering limited precognition was one of her abilities, Lightning asked Lady Forza, "So, you want us to…?"

"I want you all to head for Twilight Town in the eastern county of Twilia. There, I want you to team up with Lea and Isa, who's on patrol over there with Master Eraqus. I've already let them know that you're coming, so get changed and packed. Be ready in ten minutes and at the castle's foyer as Eraqus will open up a portal," Lady Forza commanded.

"And do you want us to defeat that thing or…?" Snow asked.

"Or destroy it?" Fang asked.

The woman shook her head and said, "I'm afraid that the monster cannot be destroyed."

"Then what the hel-heck are we supposed to do?" Lightning asked, miffed at not getting her sleep and censoring herself as Relm was in the room.

"I want you all to help Master Eraqus seal away the beast. If it is allowed to roam, especially at night, it will attack the populace, stealing their life energy to feed," Lady Forza told them.

"So, why are we going there? Won't that thing eat us too?" Snow asked.

"Not if you be careful. So, find Lea, Isa and Master Eraqus and help them seal away the monster. Now go," Lady Forza told him.

Reluctantly as they were tired and didn't want to get eaten, the trio left.

* * *

 _Byregot 5_ _th_ _, Twilight Town, 1:46 a.m.…_

"C'mon, Olette! Hurry up!" a spikey-haired blond in green yelled.

Wearing a raincoat in his favorite colors covering him as it was raining, he turned around to see his friends, a brunette in orange and yellow named Olette and a rather chubby raven-haired boy wearing red and blue named Pence. Pence, also wearing a rain jacket, carried a small camera in one hand and his phone in the other. Olette, wearing a jacket and rain boots, carried a small purse and a floral designed umbrella. The trio braved the torrential summer rains as they were trying to complete their summer homework assignment: writing on the seven wonders of Twilight Town.

As they maneuvered through the back streets and towards the main road of Market Street, Pence and Olette complained about how Hayner always wanted to beat his rival, Seifer, at everything. That included what they were doing at that moment, trying to get the jump on a rumor they had heard about "Wonder Number 7: The Haunted Mansion in Twilight Woods". According to rumors around the town, a figure in black would appear in one of the windows of the mansion. And since Seifer and his gang were writing about the same subject, Hayner's bright idea was to go in the woods and capture footage of the ghost.

Pence and Olette were against it, believing that it was straight out of a horror movie. But they followed him anyway, believing that he would be in a world of trouble if they didn't go with him. So, reluctantly, the pair followed their fearless leader.

"Seriously, why couldn't we wait until morning? And when it's not in the middle of the night and raining cats and dogs?" Olette asked.

Hayner became frustrated and said, "I'm not gonna let Seifer and his gang 'outscoop' us. And ghosts are active late at night, right? So, we go to the mansion, get a picture and then run home. Simple!"

Pence wasn't convinced and asked, "I thought ghosts were invisible. So, how are we supposed to get footage of one?"

"GAH! We'll figure it out when we get there. Now let's go," Hayner said.

The trio was about to continue their trek when Olette spotted a figure in a black cloak. They stumbled about and she wondered if they were okay. So, she called out to them.

"Hey, are you okay over there?" Olette yelled.

The man continued to stumble, heading for Tram Commons. Hayner, impatient, said, "Olette. Let's go already!"

"Hayner, there's something wrong with that guy. We need to call the police or something," Olette told him.

"Well, we're not supposed to be out here. So, I think the police would arrest us for breaking curfew before helping that guy," Pence said.

Hayner took a look at the cloaked man as he walked away. Still in his emotions, he said, "No way. That's gotta be Raijin in disguise, trying to get info on that ghost. Let's go!"

He took off, chasing after the man, while Pence and Olette sighed, but followed anyway.

* * *

 _Rooftop, Tram Common…_

A young man in black with semi-long, azure-colored hair stood near the edge of an apartment building rooftop in Tram Common. His phone began to buzz in his pocket and he took it out to see the word "Headmistress" pop up. Sliding a finger up on the screen, he answered the phone, held up his phone to his ear and said, "Yes?"

He nodded his head, listening to the other person on the line. He sighed, closing his yellow eyes in a frown and said, "No. Lea's not here with me. He went off on his own, saying that he could take that fiend on his own. And I doubt he's with Master Eraqus."

Another sigh and he said, "No. Lady Forza. I'm not going after him as I still observe Lord Paolo's, may he rest in peace, policy on our clandestineness. But yet you want me to go after him, who may or may not have shown his powers in public. Yes. Yes, I know. Why are they coming? We can handle a simple monster sealing."

"Pretty sure you can't with this one, Isa."

Fang, in her purple sari-like attire, appeared and Isa was unamused. He shook his head and said, "Why are you here?"

"Well Lea and your power is cut in half when it rains. Water and fire don't mix and you've no access to the moonlight because of the dark clouds," Fang told him.

Isa rolled his eyes and asked, "Lightning and Snow's here too?"

"Yup as Lady Forza said that the monster is stronger than anything we've faced before," Fang replied.

"Then why are we out here? How come she's not…?" Isa asked.

"I dunno. But I would be careful if I were you."

The pair saw a blonde sitting on the roof's edge. She, dressed in black and yellow biker's attire, stared at the streets and said, "That monster'll be here any minute. You two should get ready to fight since it'll go after this trio of teens."

"Who are you?" Fang asked, placing a hand on the spear she carried on her back.

"I'm a friend. A friend that needs everyone here alive and well," the girl said.

Isa's initial aggression quickly died as he felt an off energy from the blonde. She looked to be only seventeen, but something told him that she had power that was beyond her years. Fang seemed to have felt that same power, putting one hand on the spear she carried on her back.

The girl faced them and her glowing blue eyes felt as if it pierced Isa's soul, judging him on all that he did before joining the Forza Institute. He looked away and the blonde said, "Anyway. Just be careful when you go and fight that thing because you're gonna need his help soon. I would help, but I gotta rescue your hotheaded friend. See ya!"

She stood up, standing on the roof's edge, and her body started glowing a vibrant blue hue. The gravity around her changed and the blonde, now a being of bright blue energy, flew off towards the horizon. Shaking up, but not willing to show it in front of Fang, Isa asked, "What was that?"

"I dunno, but we have to find Eraqus and Lea. And…" Fang said.

The two saw a man in black running towards the forest. Black mist spewed from him and the air around him was distorted. Three teens chased after him and didn't seem to see the darkness. Sensing that it could've been their target, Isa jumped off the roof and Fang followed.

* * *

 _With Lea, Sunset Terrace…_

"AND DONE!" a redhead in red, black and orange armor-like attire cheered.

He had set fire to small greenish imps in red hats called Goblins and grinned impishly. His companion, an older man in white and tan samurai-esque attire, gave him a worried look and asked, "Lea why are you grinning like that? You look strange."

"No I don't. And I'm grinning because we defeated the monsters. Even though my power's been cut in half! HA! I won the bet! Now Isa and Terra's gotta give me my 5,000 munny."

"Master Eraqus! Lea!"

The two, standing in a dead-end alley, saw Lightning and Snow, in their usual battle attire, running towards them. Lightning didn't seem to be affected by the rain as much as Lea was, but he wasn't going to let her know that. Snow wasn't affect at all, instead the rain around him was turned into hail, indicating that he was pretty much in his element…or at least in his element's original form.

"What are you two doing here?" Master Eraqus asked.

"Well, we're here, helping you," Snow answered.

Lightning explained that Lady Forza ordered them to help them find another monster that was let loose. Lea figured that it was the Goblins they defeated, but Lightning said something about a large, demon-like monster. She also told them that it couldn't be destroyed, only sealed away. Lea hadn't a clue what she was talking about, but Master Eraqus' pale face quickly told the fire wielder how dangerous the situation was.

"She is not talking about…that thing. There's no way on earth for that creature to break free of its bonds. Unless…" Master Eraqus muttered to himself.

Snow, ready for a scrap, popped his knuckles and asked, "So, where's the monster?"

"Haven't seen anything like that around here. Just took out some Goblins that snuck into town through the sewers," Lea said, pointing at the charred remains of the five imps.

A low snarl coming from the alley drew their attention to it and Lea was sure that he had took out all the monsters. Master Eraqus summoned a katana of light to his hands and quickly went into his battle stance. Lightning pulled out her gunblade, going into hers. Snow put up his fists and cold air surrounded them while Lea summoned fiery chakrams to his hands along with flames.

* * *

 _With Isa and Fang, Twilight Woods…_

As the trio of teens chased after the man in black, Isa and Fang stayed on their trail. Using their powerful sense of smell, the two kept close enough to stay on the scent while far enough for the teens not to spot them. The trio ran into the forest, which Isa thought was a big mistake. Said mistakes were horrible for those without abilities and was still a bad idea for those with them. That was usually the plot in horror films, Isa thought.

Fang slid to a halt and sniffed the air. Isa did the same and his pointed ears twitched with the sound of screaming. He followed it, pushing pass shrubbery and dodging uprooted tree roots. Fang ran after him and the two stopped, quickly readying their weapons upon stumbling onto the three teens in front of the gate to an old mansion. Isa summoned a large claymore, dubbed the _Lunatic_ , and stared at the horrific sight before him.

A tall, muscular, black creature with purple, vein-like markings all over its body stood over the lone girl in the group. Antenna-like protrusions came out of its head, reminiscent of horns. Large claws, looking sharp as daggers, were on its hands and feet. A long tail, similar in appearance to a dragon's, whipped back and forth.

Without thinking, Isa slid pass the monster, grabbing the unconscious girl and handing her over to her friends. Fang joined him and the sight of the creature, though odd, looked somehow…familiar. As Isa stared, wondering where he may have seen it, the beast roared, revealing very sharp teeth. A heart-shaped hole in its chest and beady, yellow eyes and overall dark aura added to its demonic appearance.

"What is that thing?" Fang asked, pulling out her lance and quickly going into her battle stance.

Isa did the same, but something told him it was an awful idea to fight it. Every instinct in his body was telling him to flee, but he knew if he did, Fang would chew him out for it. He wasn't afraid of her, he thought. He just didn't want to deal with an angry Au Ra and her dragon.

"I dunno. But that guy turned into this…thing! It's gotta be the ghost of that mansion!" the blonde in green yelled.

The largest in size of the trio, holding up a camera, took footage and said, "Hayner, that's not a ghost! That's a demon!"

Hayner trembled and yelled, "I know that Pence! And that thing took some bright light outta Olette!"

Fang, turning her attention to the conscious duo, said, "Take your friend and get out of here. We'll distract it."

"How? All you got is, and I'm wondering why, is a lance and a sword," Pence asked.

"Don't question it, man! Let's go!" Hayner said.

The blonde took Olette, carrying her bridal style, as the two ran back to town. The monster went on all fours and was about to chase after it when Isa, reluctantly, slid in front of it and swiped at it.

"No. You're dealing with us now," Isa said.

Instead of attacking, the beast stared at him and the young man found it creepy. It was like it...knew him and it was very unsettling. While it was distracted, Fang swung at its head. But the creature was faster than they expected, ducking and grabbing the Au Ra's weapon. Isa rushed in, ready to attack, when the beast threw Fang into him, knocking them both to the ground.

It gave off a guttural roar and black bat wings burst from its back. With a few flaps, it became airborne and took off, heading north. Once it was gone, Fang got up, brushed herself off and helped Isa up. After doing so, she then proceeded to yell at him.

"What was that? Why did you hesitate?" she asked.

"For starters, we were not to defeat the creature. We were only to seal it away with Master Eraqus' help. But he's not here, so we've no help with that," Isa told her calmly.

His demeanor only frustrated her and she asked, "But why did you have that look of distant recognition in your eyes?"

"I don't know. That thing just looks familiar, that's all," Isa told her.

Fang sighed and muttered, "Whatever. We're just going to have to tell her the mission was a failure and that thing's loose."

* * *

 _With Lea, Eraqus, Lightning and Snow…_

"What the…? What is that black…thing?" Snow asked, backing away.

The four stared at what looked like a crystalline humanoid crawling on the ground in a most erratic manner. Red eyes locked onto Lea's and it screeched violently upon looking at him. Snow covered his ears. Lightning dropped her gunblade as the sound was too much. Master Eraqus erected a light barrier to protect himself and Lea dismissed his weapons to shut his ears. Seeing them distracted, the crawling monster lunged for them, revealing large claws and sharp teeth.

Lea saw that it was coming for him and was about to blast it away with fire when someone fell from the rooftops. They, in mid-stomp, pinned the beast to the ground, sparing Lea. His savior was a long-haired blonde in black and yellow biker's attire. She looked at the monster she pinned and had a gaze of anger in her brightly glowing blue eyes. It struggled to get free, despite her being very skinny and keeping it down with her feet.

"You all really need to be careful around these things. One bite and you're done for," she said, her attention still on the monster.

"What's so special about that thing? Looks like a crystal golem or something to me," Snow asked.

Still not taking her eyes off of it, she said, "Trust me. You really, really don't want to get bitten or scratched by these things. Well, if you get scratched, you won't get as sick. But if this thing bites you, kiss the life you know goodbye as you'll turn into one of these, a 'Cie'th'."

Just before anyone could ask her about it, the girl took both of her hands, put them at the snarling creature's side of its face and she twisted its head, a loud snap filling the air. Once out of its misery, the monster faded in a shower of green and purple light. The rather ruthless blonde looked up at the four and said, "Trust me. You really don't want to turn. So, if you see any of these, you better be wearing armor or something before fighting it as I can't have any of you turn."

"What on earth are you talking about child?" Master Eraqus asked.

"All in good time. For now, just stay alive and avoid at all costs teal-haired women in white. Don't fight them as they're 'insta-death'," the girl warned.

She took a few steps back and her body started to glow with a soft blue light. The trash cans and other alleyway filth rose from the ground as she started to float. With one last warning, she said, "Please listen to my warnings and wear armor when fighting Cie'th and don't fight a teal-haired woman in white. I'll be back soon to talk with your headmistress. I gotta find my friends first. See ya!"

She blasted off into the cloudy heavens and the floating trash fell once gone.

* * *

 _And there's chapter four. Now there was a bit of an explanation of Isa, Snow, Master Eraqus and Lea's powers in this one. And yes, their weaknesses will be shown in this fic. Now that more characters have been introduced, what else is in store for the Midgar group? Stay tuned and drop a review, why don'cha?_


	5. Chapter 5: Awakening

_Thanks to TheFantasyTrain for their reviews of the last four chapters._

 _And more Final Fantasy character notes. Lightning, aka Claire Farron, is from Final Fantasy XIII, along with Oerba Yun Fang and Snow Villiers._

 _-miano53_

* * *

" _Due to the abilities of Specials and the rating system, certain countries have taken steps in making Specials into military forces, grouping them in the classifications of 1 through 5. Most hoped that Specials can be used to protect their nations all the while keeping them controlled. Some have voice opposition against such programs, such as the Gardenian Emirates and Wutai, as Specials have been frequently used for invasions and imperial expansions."_

 _-excerpt from C. Chere's 8_ _th_ _report on Specials_

Chapter Five: Awakening

" _Um, what are we doing again?" little Tifa asked._

 _Angeal, with a grin, held up a baseball bat and said, "What does it look like?"_

 _Young Zack raised his hand excitedly and said, "We're playing baseball! Woo! I already got a team name already! So, pick me! Pick me! Pick me, me, ME!"_

" _Please no…" Cloud muttered._

" _Yes, please don't call us anything stupid…" Kunsel added._

 _Luxiere raised his hand and said, "I vote that we name ourselves the 'Mighty Ducks'!"_

" _Uh, isn't that from that Sidney movie?" Tifa asked._

 _Another in the group of nine raised their hand, asking, "What about the 'Shaggy Dogs'? Or the 'Danger Ducks'?"_

" _No! No way! Nuh uh!" the children said._

 _Angeal shook his head, telling them, "No. We're not naming our team after animals. People already don't see us as human."_

" _Uh…What about the 'Midgar Slum Lords'!" Luxiere asked, dramatically putting up his hands for effect._

" _No! Most of us aren't even from Midgar!" Kunsel retorted._

 _His twin was saddened and Cloud asked, "What about the 'Midgar Bandersnatches'?"_

" _No. Why are we getting crummy names? I say we call ourselves the 'Shinra Heroes'! 'Cause we all got powers and stuff like the superheroes in comic books," Zack said, adding his input._

" _Lame! I don't like it! No, no, no!" the kids yelled._

" _It's not lame!" Zack yelled back._

 _Angeal quieted down the kids and told them, "Enough. We're just going to call our team the '3_ _rd_ _Class Giants'."_

" _Why that?" Tifa asked._

" _Because we're only playing against other SOLDIERs," Angeal replied._

" _Why?" Luxiere asked._

" _Because the government thinks that it would be unfair if we went up against anyone else, especially since we're the ones with powers and all…" Angeal told him._

* * *

 _Friday, Byregot 21_ _st_ _, Midgar Sector 8, rooftops, 3 a.m.…_

The Commander Rhapsodos look-a-like sat on the edge of a seven-story apartment building rooftop, quite bored and tired as he had finished patrolling Midgar's skies. He wondered how much longer he had to do that, as he wanted to change his world's fate already. But his sister, Alicia, repeatedly warned him that if they prematurely started, their world's end could become even worse. And they could adversely affect the lives of those they were trying to save.

"Man, time travel sucks…" he muttered.

A loud, metallic clunk had him flinch and nearly fall off the rooftop. He would've been okay with his abilities, but the young man was really tired and flying to get back up on the roof wasn't in his plans. Once recovered, he turned around and gasped for a moment, seeing someone in white. After clearing his glasses and taking another look, he gave a small sigh of relief, seeing SCX-5.

"Hey, what are you doing up here? Aren't you supposed to be with Arc?" he asked.

X-5's response was a few clicks and a whir. A sound of a spark popping was heard and the robot responded with, "Scanning…Alexander Josiah Rhapsodos…Received permission to canvas the upper plate three days ago. Requested and was granted permission again to patrol the upper plate six hours ago."

"By who? Arc?" the young auburn-haired man, Alexander, asked.

"Archaeus Isaias Fair granted permission…Will return to Midgar slums at 0600 hours," X-5 replied.

Alex sighed and muttered, "Man, you're really gone, aren't you?"

The robot stood motionless like a statue. Alex, not liking the slightly awkward silence, asked, "Um, have you seen Alicia anywhere? I haven't seen her since I got here."

"Alicia Ephemera Rhapsodos…Scanning…Location…Sector 7…Searching for a way into the Shinra Building…" X-5 responded.

Remembering all the warnings that his sister had told him, Alex quickly thought of her as a hypocrite. Moments after thinking that, a winged young woman in black and red Lolita outfit came swooping down from the hazy green heavens. She landed on the roof and Alex said, "Hey, Ali."

"Hey. OH! Oh! What's…What's he doing here? X-5, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be with Arc," the winged one, Alicia, said.

Her wings disappeared, sliding into her back and she didn't seemed pained by it. X-5, under his metal mask, looked at her and told her what he had told Alex. Alicia didn't seem to be satisfied and said, "You need to stick with Arc and make sure that he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Oh, like how you were looking for a way in the Shinra Building?" Alex asked, remembering what the robot told him.

"I…I was just trying to…" his sister stammered.

"Yeah, you're over here being hypocrite, telling us not to mess with the timeline while you're doing it," Alex grumbled.

"Okay. Okay, I won't do it again. I was just trying to see how Dad looked like in this time. Like, you know how he only has that one good eye and that giant scar over his other one?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah. But we'll see him sooner or later. Especially after he does what he told us he did this year. So, don't go into that building. I don't want that Hojo guy doing experiments on you," Alex said, his being the older brother showing itself.

He looked at X-5 and said, "Same goes for you and Arc. I don't want him experimenting on you…again. Because that's how you wound up the way you are now."

X-5 nodded and asked, "Permission to return early?"

"Yes. You can go back to Arc. But be careful and stay out of sight," Alicia ordered.

The robot's metal wings burst from his back and a single flap got him airborne. A few more flaps and using the light winds helped him fly off into the distance.

Alex sighed and muttered, "Man…Gabe's really not there anymore."

* * *

 _Unknown water temple…_

Tifa, irate and jumped out of the way of an attacking giant, blue octopus', called a Kraken, tentacle, looked at an attacking-the-wrong-target Cloud. Zack joined her, tossing a knife created from light towards the appendage. The weapon of light cut it in two and Kunsel, using an ability he copied from another SOLDIER, unleashed an arc of lightning from his hands. Luxiere did the same, shooting and hitting the giant octopus' two appendages that broke through the water temple's wooden floorboards.

Seeing Cloud still attacking that one tentacle that should've been destroyed five minutes ago, Tifa yelled, "Cloud, why are you still attacking that tentacle?"

"Just a minute," Cloud said.

Zack saw and the two jumped out of the way of Kraken's leg tentacles. Luxiere was hit in the chest, flying backwards and landing on his back. Kunsel hopped over another and stabbed it with his weapon.

Annoyed as Cloud was still targeting Kraken's left, the Blue Mage yelled, "Hit the one over here! On Kraken's right! His right!"

"Just a minute! C'mon, ya big…octopus-thing! I'm turnin' ya into calamari so we can have good eats tonight!" Cloud yelled, sidestepping Kraken's tentacle slam.

Luxiere got to his feet and jumped out of the way as the Kraken spewed ink his direction. He breathed in deeply and, copying an ability from an Au Ra SOLDIER, belched out orange flames. The Kraken was hit, getting burned. In retaliation, the monster swiped at him.

The second Blue Mage yelled, "We're all fighting the Kraken!"

Cloud still ignored him, slashing and finally finishing off that one tentacle. He then went for the octopus' left leg. Zack, Tifa, Luxiere and Kunsel began yelling at him, saying, "It's a team effort! Team effort! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND? THERE'S FIVE OF US! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP HITTING THAT?"

The 2nd Class Buster Basher had a small smirk grow on his face as his comrades began more and more enraged by his ignoring orders. Moments later, after he kept attacking Kraken and the octopus spewing ink onto his comrades, they went berserk, lunging at the monster and pummeling it with attacks.

Cloud stood back and watched as they did and snickered once the fiend had been destroyed. Covered in ink and extremely angry, Tifa glared at him and asked, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Hey, ya did defeat the monster. So, I say that tactic worked," Cloud said.

Tifa fought to strangle him as he was being a total jerk. Before she could, the scenery around them changed back to the metallic interior of the SOLDIER training room. Over the intercom, Angeal said, "Training's over. Cloud, don't antagonize your comrades next time. Doing so will only demoralize them. Our training's to promote teamwork, not…whatever that was."

"Well, they defeated Kraken as a team. So, I'd say my tactic of makin' 'em angry worked," Cloud told him.

The older SOLDIER sighed and the ink-covered 2nd Classes left to get cleaned up.

* * *

 _Aqua's apartment…_

Feeling under the weather, despite just starting in SOLDIER, Aqua stayed home, in the bed and under the covers. She had a terrible headache, which came on the moment she had woke up that morning. Chills and soreness also filled her body, but she was sure that she hadn't caught a cold. To compensate for the cold she felt, even though it was in the middle of Byregot, Aqua wore a grey sweatshirt with the Migdar Wolves blitzball team logo on it, sweatpants and socks.

To deal with the migraine, the young woman took aspirins, hoping that it would go away. It did for a while, but would return every hour or so. Against the instructions on the bottle and her own better judgment, she would take another one the instant her severe headache would return.

For her soreness, Aqua refused to move and only did so whenever she really had to. So, she groaned when her cell started to ring. She popped her head out of the covered, looked at the nightstand at her bed's right side and saw the thing shake as it buzzed. Rolling over to that side and regretting it, Aqua picked up the phone and saw it was Tifa calling her.

She answered with a groggy, "Hello?"

"Oh. Aqua, are you okay? You didn't come in today," the SOLDIER said.

"I'm not feeling that great today. I'll come in tomorrow if I feel better," Aqua told her.

Tifa agreed, saying "You don't sound well. Eh, don't sweat it. I'll tell the director that you really sound sick."

"Okay…Bye," Aqua said, hanging up.

Feeling another headache come on, Aqua shut her eyes and squeezed them tightly as the pain throbbed. She wanted to take another aspirin, but she had just taken one 15 minutes ago. Her body felt weak and Aqua became incredibly tired. She wanted to call an ambulance as her weakness she knew wasn't normal. But before she could Aqua fell asleep.

" _Ah, you're finally waking up."_

* * *

 _A few minutes later, SOLDIER floor…_

Tifa's eyes went wide as she looked out a nearby window saw darker than the usual green haze clouds over the city suddenly form. She had just finished speaking with Aqua, wondering why the newcomer didn't show up for work. The SOLDIER 2nd Class Monk jumped as lightning flashed and thunder crashed.

'I thought the forecast said today wasn't supposed to rain or anything. Just more haze,' Tifa thought.

Another thunderclap rocked the building and Tifa could hear the wind howling outside. Rain suddenly poured onto the city as well as hailstones and…snow? What was snow doing there in the middle of summer, Tifa thought.

Her phone rang again and a familiar voice spoke to her. She recognized him as one of the Turks, Tseng. She didn't know his last name as Turks weren't required or even allowed to give theirs and she doubted that the name he gave was his real one.

"SOLDIER 2nd Class, Tifa Lockhart?" he said.

"Yeah. This is she," Tifa replied.

"Director Lazard wants to see you," he said.

"Is it about that sudden storm that showed up?" Tifa asked.

The Turk, in monotone, said, "Probably. Just come to the Briefing Room. He'll explain more."

The Monk did as she was told, arriving to see her director within moments as the rain and hail started coming down outside even harder. Once there, she was joined by Cloud and Luxiere. Kunsel and Zack had just left with Angeal to Wutai to start their final operations there. A tall, very skinny man in a black suit stood next to the room's v-shaped table and eyed the trio with dark eyes. His short hair, slicked back and tied up in a ponytail, was pulled out of his face and revealed his rather large forehead. Based on his appearance, Tifa knew he wasn't originally from the country and wondered if he was from places like Wutai, Eblan, Seong, or even Xi'an.

Director Lazard entered, holding several files and looking a bit flustered. He sat at the head of the table, put in a few keystrokes and the image of Midgar's upper plate appeared on the larger screen. It changed to a map of the area and zeroed in on Sector 8.

"We've received reports of a powerful power surge coming from Sector 8. Power lines and parts of building have been damaged from the high winds and violent lightning strikes. We've tried to isolate the location, but an energy field prevents us from finding the exact location of the disturbance," Director Lazard said.

"So, what are we supposed to do about it? Just go in there?" Luxiere asked.

"You three are going with Tseng and apprehend the one responsible as we believe a newly empowered Special is behind this. Get ready quickly and head for Sector 8 as quickly as possible," Director Lazard said.

* * *

A woman in white, with long teal-colored hair and red eyes, stared at the sleeping Aqua and watched as lightning bolts shot forth from her body. She wasn't bothered by it and a barrier of sorts protected her from any bolt that nearly hit her. The rather empty room's windows shattered and the winds kicked up, becoming violent. Papers, Aqua's bedsheets and clothes that were on the floor flew around the room and some disintegrated upon contact of the mysterious maiden's barrier.

"I see that your true power is awakening, but you've no control over it. No matter. You've signed the contract and all we have to do is get you on our side. Once you're with us, you will help us create a new world, one where only the strongest shall live. But first, your heart must change and this place destroyed," the maiden said.

Summoning a sword out of deep darkness, the teal-haired woman started hovering in the air and over Aqua. She pulled back, aiming for the young woman's heart. Once done, she thrusted to strike.

* * *

 _Skies around Sector 8…_

"WHOA! Where is this wind coming from?" Alex yelled, flapping his black wings vigorously to prevent his getting hurled to Kingdom Come.

Alicia did the same, having trouble staying in the air due to the turbulent winds. The two took to the air, once making sure that they weren't being watched, as they felt a powerful surge of energy coming from the apartment complexes. That surge zeroed in at one location, the _Antonia_ apartment building. Another energy, one that felt unnatural, came from the 13th floor and the two flew towards a window.

Curling his wings around him, Alex performed a spin maneuver that had him crash through the window without a scratch. He landed in a hallway and quickly pulled his wings back into his back, right before the first few residents opened their doors. Alicia landed safely, did the same and the two felt the energy coming from down the hall. Not paying any attention to those that stared, the twins ran down the hall and slid to a stop in front of a door that had the numbers 1307.

"Hey, this is…" Alex said.

Alicia nodded and put her hand on the knob, only for something to shock her and pull her hand back. Alex knocked on the door and yelled, "Miss Tiberi? Miss Tiberi!"

The sound of windows breaking prompted him to ram into the door, breaking it open.

* * *

"So, what are you saying? That a Special just happen to 'wake up'?" Tifa asked.

Cloud, driving the SUV Tifa, Luxiere and he were riding in, nodded and said, "Apparently. Tseng said somethin' 'bout…Whoa…'Bout some Specials not awakenin' to their powers until later on, mostly because…Hold it!"

He swerved out the way of a large crater, left behind by a lightning bolt and quickly filling up with hail and water. As they drove towards Sector 8 on the Midgar Freeway, there were hardly any cars as many civilians hightailed to safety, or where they could find it. The only ones on the road were Shinra Infantry rerouting drivers and drivers who didn't pay attention to the sudden weather change until it was too late. Due to their vehicle being an official SOLDIER one, with the group's silver-hued sigil on the hood of the all black car, none of the infantry tried to stop them from going into what looked like the storm's eye.

Cloud kept dodging craters and sudden potholes, all while trying to explain the information they had received from Tseng. His driving was erratic and Tifa was surprised that his motion sickness didn't flare up from it. She then figured that he was using his powers to prevent it. That or he started getting used to being inside moving vehicles.

"Like I was sayin', Tseng said somethin' 'bout things like medicines and machines stoppin' a Specials' power growth and stuff. Don't really know what would do that, but it can't be…" Cloud said.

He slid the car to a halt as a column of lightning struck the ground in front of it and left a large crater, virtually impassable. Tifa closed her eyes and shook her head and she figured it was an automatic mission failed. That is until she sense something odd.

The image of a woman in white hovering over someone that looked an awful lot like the newcomer, Aqua but with azure hair, crossed her mind. A feeling of dread overcame Tifa as the hovering woman held a sword and went to stab Aqua in the heart.

Opening her eyes, Tifa told the others, "This storm's coming from a woman in white. In Aqua's building. Let's go."

"How? We can't go any further because of that giant crater," Luxiere noted.

Just before Tifa could answer, a lightning bolt struck their car.

* * *

"Hey!" Alex bellowed.

The twins saw a Maenad hovering over a young woman with black and blue colored hair, the former trying to stab the latter in the heart. The black slowly gave way to blue as lightning ran up and down her body. The plain white walls and bare hardwood floor in the apartment's bedroom were covered in burns. Alex figured that they were from the young woman and he ducked while Alicia sidestepped from a desk flying straight for them. It crashed into the wall behind them and the Maenad had a looked of annoyance on her face.

"What are you two doing here? You can't derail our plans for this world, so don't even try," the Maenad told them.

"You can't just…Whoa! Destroy all Specials for…Aah!" Alex said, dodging more items that the weather-controlling, young woman threw in her unconscious state.

"You've no idea what we're doing. But no matter," the Maenad said, swiftly stabbing the young woman with the black sword.

Just as she did, electricity flowed through the blade, electrocuting the Maenad and sending her and the blade flying backwards and out the window. More lightning shot from the young woman's body and the twins had no choice but to flee.

* * *

 _Sector 8, near Antonia apartment complex…_

The wind, rain and hail came down even harder and lightning flashed even more violently, striking various buildings and shattering glass. Tifa, Cloud and Luxiere had a hard time trying to reach the building, as they got out of their SUV that surprisingly survived the lightning strike and went the rest of the way on foot. Those terrifying several minutes included ushering those still outdoors to safe places and dodging flying debris. When they reached the _Antonia_ building, where the energy reading was the strongest, something crashed through the window and fell onto the street below with a loud thump and a metallic clatter.

Cloud and Luxiere rushed towards them as they identified what fell as a person. Tifa was about to join them when the windows on the top floor shattered by another lightning bolt strike. Sensing a great powers within it, the SOLDIER rushed in and ran up to the thirteenth floor. After helping resident head for the lower floors and finding apartment 1307, Tifa entered the apartment and was shot in the chest by lightning…

* * *

 _That's not good. Surely no one can survive getting hit like that, right? And what happened to Aqua? Stay tuned._

 _-miano53_


	6. Chapter 6: Reluctant Initiations

_Storm Rider: A very rare Special with the ability of atmospheric manipulation, meaning that this particular breed can control the weather. Their sub-abilities include being immune to mind control, immunity to severe changes in temperature and absorption of lightning, ice and wind attacks from opposing Specials. Due to their rarity and potential severity of their powers, Storm Riders are internationally classified as Category 5._

 _-Lexicon Universalis, vol. 47_

Chapter Six: Reluctant Initiations and Assaults

" _No! I don't wanna go!" little Aqua yelled as one of the guards pulled her away from her cell._

 _The others were pinned to the floor or shot with tranquilizer darts. Lea was pinned while an enraged Isa was shot with several tranquilizers. When the boy finally fell, the guards dragged a screaming Aqua out and she cried as she saw a sleeping, back-to-normal Terra. She thought he would change, come to her defense and save her. But no such luck._

 _Terrified, Aqua started screaming and a bolt of electricity came out of her body. One guard in front of her was shot, flying backwards into two others. The guard holding onto her arm was shot by another, releasing her and the girl took off, running down the dark hallway as the remaining guards took chase._

* * *

 _Byregot 25_ _th_ _, SOLDIER infirmary, 263 days before the Fall…_

" _You've signed the contract. Now, the beginning of the eternal end."_

Aqua's eyes shot open and she sat up, finding herself in what looked like a hospital bed. The smell of cleaning products and medicine filled the air. Florescent lighting illuminated the enclosed room and the constant sound of beeping came from her right. Hospital garb covered her body and wires were connected to her chest, most not visible to the gown. She saw an IV stuck in her right elbow's vein and the urge to suddenly rip it out nearly overcame her.

"H-Hey, don't mess with that."

Her eyes went over to her left, where a woman with semi-short, teal-colored hair sat in a chair next to the bed. She wore skin-tight, black clothing that looked ripped on parts of her upper legs and lower arms. Her chest was exposed, showing a bit of cleavage and Aqua wondered why she was dressed similar to a certain gaming character in Soul Blade.

The odd young woman had the same rusty-red eyes as the creepy little girl she met in the Shinra Building and fought the urge to shiver as something seemed…off about her. Leaning back in her chair, the oddball said, "Man, you're finally awake. After what happened in Sector 8, I don't blame you for sleeping so long."

"Um, who are you? And where…?" Aqua asked.

"I'm Cuore. And I take it that by your reaction to looking at me that you've met my sister, Cora," the peculiar one, Cuore, told her.

"Cora?" Aqua asked her.

Cuore leaned forward and said, "She's the one that had you sign a contract, right? The day you came to Midgar?"

Aqua nodded and Cuore told her, "That contract's really important, y'know. Like the words in it said, everything that you do will determine the fate of this world."

"How?" Aqua asked

"For starters…Look at yourself," Cuore said, pulling out a small compact mirror from her pocket.

Aqua took it and dropped it as what she saw shocked her. Cuore handed it back to her and Aqua took another look. Her hair, previously with black with blue highlights, was all blue. Her eyebrows were also the same color and she didn't remember dyeing her hair recently.

"And…Look at this," Cuore said.

She pulled out another mirror and held it up at Aqua's back. She pulled the back of the gown slightly and held up Aqua's left arm, the one that held the pocket mirror. The now blue-haired maiden saw her back had what seemed to be a bird's tattoo on her back. In the center of its chest was a small red mark and Aqua could see a faint light.

'But I never went and got a tattoo…What happened to me?' she thought.

Cuore put away both mirrors, the small one she placed back in her pocket while the other vanished into thin air. The oddball sat back in her chair and said, "Your hair color change and that tattoo on your back shows that your powers have returned. And whoever suppressed it did a dang good job at keeping them under control."

"Powers? What powers? The only people that have powers are…" Aqua started.

"Specials. Specials have powers and you're one too. Your powers just haven't resurface until now," Cuore said.

Scared, Aqua yelled, "I'm…I'm not a Special. I'm not a fre…!"

"Specials aren't freaks, nor are they monsters. My sister and I understand that now. You all are the only ones that can save this world, despite it hating you for apparently no reason," Cuore said.

"But I'm not a…!" Aqua tried to say.

"Cup your hands together," Cuore said.

Aqua did as she was told, ready to prove to the stranger that she had no powers. If she did, she would've known long ago. Cuore wasn't deterred and said, "Now think about electricity, like a thunderstorm or something."

Rolling her eyes, Aqua did so, thinking about a few thunder flashes. Moments later, sparks of electricity came from her hands and she quickly put them away. Cuore seemed pleased and told her, "That's just some of your power. As you grow and go further in this year, you'll discover more. But…if you misuse that power or refuse to use it, something terrible will happen to this world and many lives will be lost."

"What are you...talking about? How can shooting sparks do all that?" Aqua asked.

Cuore slowly disappeared, saying, "Be on the lookout for three 'Angeli' and a 'Mimic Cetra'. They'll show you the way."

She vanished before Aqua could garner any more information. The door opened and Zack entered. A mixed expression of relief and anger was on his face and he stood at the foot of Aqua's bed. Seconds later, Director Lazard came in, with the SOLDIER director holding a tablet in his right hand and his phone in the other. The man sat in the chair Cuore was moments ago and cleared his throat.

"I see that you're finally awake. Just in time for your promotion," Director Lazard said.

"What do you mean?" Aqua asked him.

"I mean that you're now in our SOLDIER ranks. Why didn't you let us know that you had the ability to control the weather?" Director Lazard said.

Aqua shook her head and said, "Because I don't have any powers! I'm human, I'm not…!"

"Specials are human too!" Zack blurted out.

"Yes. Yes you all are," Director Lazard told him.

Zack still was miffed and started pacing around the room. Director Lazard sighed and said, "Now, then. Aqua Tiberi. As of right now, you're officially a member of SOLDIER."

"But I…! I'm supposed to be just a…!" Aqua said.

"You can still perform your original duties, similar to Tifa and her being a tech analyst as well as SOLDIER. But you'll still be expected to perform out in the field," Director Lazard told her.

Aqua was sullen, not looking forward to being labeled a freak, monster or worse by the populace. She did admit at times she would think such things, mainly on those that would help groups like AVALANCHE to commit random terrorist attacks on certain power stations across the country. But…

"Tifa took a really big hit from you when your powers manifested. She's recovering, but I'm afraid that she'll have to grow to trust you again. And…you caused considerable damage to Sectors 6, 7 and 8. So, think of this as a way to pay back the government on such offences," Director Lazard told her.

Aqua turned to her right, looking at a monitor that slowly dripped medicine into her IV. It hummed softly and she zoned out on what the blonde man told her. So, she didn't see when the director gave her the folder he was carrying. It was her new contract, binding her to the government until the day her usefulness ended.

"Aqua, please look and sign these. Please. I want to expedite getting your uniform and new badge," Director Lazard told her.

Zack sighed, seeing Aqua's defiance, and told him, "She's not gonna sign it anytime soon. So, I'd leave her alone for a while."

"Alright. Suit yourself. I'll come back tomorrow to get your signature," Director Lazard told Aqua.

He got up from the chair, taking the folder with him, and left. Once gone, Zack sat where the man was and asked, "How the…? Why didn't you tell us you were a Storm Rider?"

Aqua looked him square in the eye and told him, "Because I…did…not…know. How many times to I have to tell you?"

"Well, whatever ya did to hide it, you did a good job in doing so. Now your hair's all blue and stuff. So, you dyed your hair black and took some suppressants or somethin'?" Zack asked, his anger from earlier dissipating.

Aqua shook her head and said, "No. I did nothing like that. I…I don't remember much before showing up in Modeoheim, okay? So, stop asking questions."

Zack leaned back, seemed to take the hint and said nothing for a few moments. Aqua nearly sighed in relief, but found it was too soon as Zack asked, "So, what do ya remember? Like, Cloud told me that Tseng said that only really powerful suppressants like medicines, machines or even other Specials can do that to somebody's powers."

"I'm telling you, I don't remember anything before the age of seven. I just remember waking up in the square of a snowy village filled with log cabins. This couple there, an old man and his wife, found me and took me in, telling me that I was in Modeoheim, a few miles south of Icicle Inn. And they asked if I was lost. I told them I couldn't remember and they adopted me," Aqua explained.

Zack nodded and asked, "So, ya never wondered where d'ya came from? Not even a little?"

"Well, I never said that. I just said that I don't remember anything before the age of seven nor having any powers. That's why all of this…it's too much. Everything's happening too fast and if I do have these powers, I don't want to look like a freak or any…" Aqua said.

Zack leaned forward, a stern look in his eyes, and he said, "You are not a freak. You're you. A Special. And Specials are human too. We were just given abilities to help the world out. That's what my Dad told me and that's what I'm tellin' you. Specials aren't monsters or freaks. Especially not if you're in SOLDIER."

"Then why do people hate Specials so much? I know I really disliked those that were helping out terrorists groups, but…" Aqua said.

"They hate what they can't control."

The two saw Cloud enter. He had a weary expression on his face and found a wall to lean on. He sighed and asked, "So, what was that all about, Aqua? Why didn't you tell us that you had powers?"

"Because I…Look, I told Zack and Director Lazard already. I didn't know. All these years and I didn't know I had powers, okay? So, I'm sorry if I hurt anyone or destroyed anything," Aqua said, again…

"I accept!"

Zack and Aqua were very surprised to see Tifa walk in. She was fully dressed in her uniform and looked hale and hearty. She grinned and said, "See? I'm fine. I told the director it'll take more than a little lightning jolt to keep me down."

"But ya just recovered two days ago. And she struck you near your heart, Tif," Cloud said to her.

Tifa didn't seem to care too much and said, "But she didn't. And she didn't mean to. Aqua wasn't conscious when I found her tossing lightning like that. But…that really hurt, y'know?"

Her gaze was fixed on Aqua and the young woman couldn't help but feel a bit small. That feeling went away when the brunette said, "Well, if you're wondering, I recovered that fast because of my abilities. I'm a Monk. So, that means I can take hits as well as dish them out."

"And you recover from most attacks really fast," Zack added.

"And if anyone manages to piss you off, and I mean really do so, you go flyin' into rage, pummelin' everythin' you see," Cloud said, a bit of his accent slipping in as he seemed to relax.

Tifa cut her eyes at him and Zack agreed. She had a look of betrayal on her face and gave an exasperated sigh.

"I'm not that bad…" she muttered.

Remembering Zack's mood earlier, Aqua asked him, "So, why were you so upset earlier? Um, I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?"

"Oh. You noticed…Well, somethin' really, really bad happened when Kunsel and me were in Wutai with Angeal. He…um…He sort of…" Zack started.

Cloud shook his head and said, "He left SOLDIER."

"What? How? Why?" Tifa asked, seemingly not in the know.

Zack put his head down and said, "Sephiroth's really got it wrong this time. I just know it. Somethin's goin' on with Angeal and Genesis and we gotta get to the bottom of it before it's too late."

"Yeah, but we're only allowed to investigate on official missions. And those missions are only reserved for 1sts. And if you look at us, none of us are," Cloud told him.

"Well, only if you don't have a tech on your team, you can't go…" Tifa said.

"Oh no. The last time you did that nearly got Zack killed by that Behemoth," Cloud nearly yelled.

Tifa shook her head, saying, "It's not my fault that Zack's got this habit of turning his back on enemies!"

"Hey, I thought that thing was dead!" Zack retorted.

"Yeah, but it wasn't. Seriously, I'm the only one responsible here?" Cloud asked.

"No. I…Okay, okay. I won't hack into the databases and get you guys missions to find Angeal…even though it could bring him and Genesis back," Tifa vowed.

She looked at Aqua and said, "Oh. Don't worry. I'll try to get you as many missions, especially training ones with Zack and Cloud here, to get you up to 2nd class in no time."

"Um, thanks?" Aqua said, still reluctant in fully pledging herself to SOLDIER, despite not having much choice in the matter.

* * *

 _Two days later…_

After quickly being initiated into the program, getting her new light blue-colored uniform of a SOLDIER 3rd Class, her ID badge and new weapon of choice of a light rapier, a still reluctant Aqua stood her ground in the middle of the Training Room. She faced off against Kunsel, Luxiere and Zack, who surrounded her and held their weapons, the _Hardedge_ , at the ready. Kunsel struck first, lunging forward, performing a horizontal swipe. Aqua jumped up, quickly mastering using the air to give power to her leaps, and over Zack.

The Mimic turned quickly, swinging his weapon at her direction. Aqua blocked, nearly falling over from the weight of the strike. She retaliated, pushing him back and jumping out of the way of an attacking Luxiere. Kunsel joined his twin, the two swinging their weapons wildly and Aqua cartwheeling and performing backflips in efforts to dodge. She trapped herself in a corner and the twins jumped into the air, coming down and performing a duo jump strike.

"Aah!" Aqua yelped, holding her hands out.

As she did, a violent gust of wind pushed the twin Blue Mages back and towards Zack. The three were knocked to the floor and the winds died. Surprised, Aqua looked at her hands, seeing sparks of lightning coming from them. She held them close and was shaken up.

"Ow…Well, um…that was new," Kunsel said, groaning as he stood to his feet.

He helped Luxiere and Zack, with the latter amazed at Aqua's newly discovered ability. He rushed to her and excitedly said, "Whoa! How didja do that? Oh, never mind. You don't remember. Anyway, that was cool! I'd say do it again, but again, you can't remember! Right? Right? Right!"

"Okay, don't smother her, Zack. She's still not used to her powers. See? She's shaking. That's a sign she's scared and not used to them," Kunsel said.

Zack rolled his eyes and was about to give the Blue Mage a piece of his mind when his phone rang. He checked and looked shocked. Answering it, he gave a nervous, "Uh, hello? OH! Sephiroth! Uh, yeah! Right."

Aqua nudged Luxiere, wondering why someone like that would call. The legendary silver-haired general didn't seem like the type to do such things, but what did Aqua know. She was a newbie at everything in Midgar, she thought. So maybe the man did make a few calls…?

"I gotta go. The director wants me up there again for something. Hopefully it's not Sephiroth pushing another assignment on me…" Zack said.

"What do you mean?" Aqua asked him.

Luxiere leaned on Aqua's shoulder and told her, "Well, you see. Because of his high rank…"

"His being our general and the president's personal bodyguard," Kunsel added.

"Sephiroth can refuse missions and even hand out said missions to other people. About two days after we got back from Wutai, he gave Zack that mission where he had to go to Banora and find…" Luxiere said.

"Please don't remind me. It's too soon. Too soon…" Zack muttered.

He left and Luxiere whispered, "He had to go and find Genesis and Angeal in their hometown. And then when he couldn't, the place was burned down."

"Wh-Why?" Aqua asked, horrified.

"Dunno. I think Genesis didn't want anyone to find out what he was doing there. But, if push comes to shove, you'll probably be sent out there too to find them," Luxiere told her.

* * *

 _On a roof nearest the Shinra Building…_

SCX-5, on patrol of the upper plate again, watched the streets below, seeing the various pedestrians going about their daily business. He didn't flinch as he felt someone place a hand on his right shoulder. Instead, he stood still and asked, "Defective Maenad Number 34…'Cuore'…"

Cuore was taken aback, asking, "How did you know it was me?"

"Energy signature matches that of the defective Maenad….similar to defective Maenad Number 35…'Cora'…" X-5 replied, not turning to face her.

"You can stop calling us that. Yes, we're 'defective', all just because we won't attack you guys and we're not as strong as the others. Anyway…you did destroy that other Maenad's remains, right? The one from Lady Aqua's power surge? Because if Hojo finds and dissects one of us…" Cuore asked.

X-5 nodded and said, "Body of Maenad dispersed in a shower of purple sparks upon beheading. SOLDIER 2nd classes Cloud Strife and Luxiere Hoffman did not spot unit SCX-5 as they were distracted by the violent weather phenomena."

"And you don't use any personal pronouns when talking about yourself…Maybe she was right….He's gone for good…" Cuore muttered.

The robot faced her and she said, "Oh. It's nothing. How's everything here?"

"Nothing to report. All activity is normal," X-5 reported, voice awfully monotone and robotic.

A loud bang followed by another and several rumbles shook the area and screams filled the air. The two looked down at the streets and saw a horde of masked soldiers in red and black rushing towards the Shinra Building. Large, bipedal machines followed, along with small, circular ones Cuore remembered were called Red Saucers. The soldiers attacked anyone they saw, cutting them down without mercy.

Cuore was about to jump, when X-5 grabbed her and said, "No interference from operatives from year 2045 until set date of…"

"I know! I know! But we can't just let those people die down there!" Cuore yelled, ripping her arm from his near vice grip.

The robot stared at her underneath his metal mask and Cuore told him, "I know that you've lost yourself after all that's happened to you. That you behave completely like a machine as that's what you're mostly now. But, your heart's gotta still be in there somewhere. You're not just a cold machine, right?"

He didn't answer. Another boom and the sight of rising smoke from the streets below turned Cuore's attention to it and she said, "If you're not going to help them, then I will."

She jumped off the roof, landing on all fours once she hit the bottom.

* * *

"H-Hey! What's going on?!" Aqua yelled.

The twins and she looked around as Red Saucers suddenly entered the Training Room and attacked. Luxiere slashed one apart, Kunsel dodged out of the way of another and the small robot headed straight for Aqua. Defensively, she held out her arms, hoping to push it back with a gust of wind. Instead the image of lightning flashing crossed her mind and lightning struck it.

Getting an idea, she kept thinking about lightning and her arms produced it. With good precision, Aqua tossed lightning bolts around, hitting ten of the remaining twelve Red Saucers. Kunsel and Luxiere cut the final two apart and the trio couldn't marvel at Aqua's sudden control and use of lightning as they heard screaming coming from outside.

Rushing outside and the door automatically locking behind them, more little Red Saucers went around, attacking other 3rds and staff not used to seeing them. The 3rds held their own, swiping, slashing and using their powers to dismantle the robots. The staff, however, stood on chairs and nearby coffee tables to avoid getting hit.

"Okay, first things first. We have to clear out this floor and evacuate the staff," Kunsel told them.

"Alright. Understood, bro," Aqua and Kunsel replied.

* * *

"Where are they all coming from?" Cuore yelled, annoyed at her foes' persistence.

Using a whip-sword of jet black, the Maenad struck a large machine, called a Sweeper, cutting it in two. The masked soldier that accompanied it carried knives similar to Alex's and swiped at her, aiming for her neck. Cuore ducked and punched him in the stomach, sending him reeling back. Two of his cohorts joined the fray, with one leaping into the air and striking and the other performing a spin attack.

Just as the attacks were about to land, Cuore swung her whip sword, swinging it around her body and repelling two. The masked men seemed confused and rushed in for one final attack. The first leapt into the air, the second charged at Cuore's left and the other at her right. She was about to strike them down when something hit the attacking trio.

The one in the air was cut in horizontally in half while the remaining two had their limbs severed. Horrified, as the one in the air's remains, mostly green and red liquid that looked like blood, hit her, Cuore looked around for another, thinking someone from SOLDIER had stopped them. Instead, she heard a robotic, "Conflict resolved. Moving to next objective."

X-5 had joined her in that dead end alley in LOVELESS Avenue, between the Goblin's Bar and a small theatre. His katana in his right hand was covered in a sticky black, green and red substance and Cuore knew the red was blood. She was about to thank him when the sound of gunshots rang out. Quickly heading for the thoroughfare, the duo saw a young auburn in a black suit attacking what seemed to be Commander Rhapsodos with an oversized shuriken. The supposed commander wielded a gun in one hand and a nightstick in the other.

Remembering Alex and Ali's father's preference for his beloved rapier, Cuore found it odd and out of character for him. X-5's gears whirred and hummed. Moments later, he said, "That is not Commander Genesis Rhapsodos, but a copy of him. Model 'G Eraser'. Clone is fighting 'Shuriken Turk: Cissnei.'"

"What?" Cuore said.

The two saw Zack rush in, defending the girl, Cissnei, from the copy. He had a bit of a time fighting the copy, getting pummeled repeatedly by the copy's nightstick and shot at. Cuore wanted to help, but after saving a woman and her child from the masked soldiers, she didn't want to risk having more people see her.

After several tense minutes and Zack getting dazed during a few of them, the SOLDIER in black defeated the clone. Just as he put away his sword and turned to help Cissnei when the copy slowly got to its feet. Zack didn't see and the clone's wings spread, which shocked Cuore as she didn't think that that age had such tech to completely copy a person and their abilities. It was about to fly off when a rushing wind nearly knocked Cuore out of her hiding spot.

She turned to her left and saw X-5 was gone. Seeing him in a blur of white, Cuore was about to call for him to stop when he cut the clone in half. To her relief, the two didn't see him as he took to the air as quickly as he cut the copy down.

"What…What just happened?" Zack asked.

Cissnei stood to her feet, looking pitifully at the sight on the ground. To Cuore's surprise, she told Zack about how she always wanted to have wings and envied winged Specials, called Angeli, as they could fly about. She told him how she believed that their wings were symbols of freedom, not those of monsters.

'So, she's a sympathizer? Odd. I wouldn't think anyone here would think like that, since everyone seems to enjoy having Specials at their beck and call here,' Cuore thought.

The two exchanged numbers and left as they had to finish their respective assignments. Cuore, using a friend's copied abilities, changed the gravity around her and took to the air. She landed on the nearby theatre's roof and found X-5 there. Remembering what he had done, she ran up to him and asked, "What was that about?"

"What was what about?" X-5 asked.

"You helping me and saving Zack? I thought you said that we weren't to get involved," Cuore asked.

The robot faced her and said, "Following Defective Maenad's…"

"Stop calling me that," Cuore said, getting irate.

With the sound of a spark popping, X-5 responded with, "Following…Cuore…Cuore's lead. Chances of SOLDIER 1st Class Mimic Zacharias Elias Fair's survival dropped to 30% when he turned his back on his still alive enemy. Must ensure his survival for the mission."

"Is that it? Nothing else?" Cuore asked.

The robot didn't respond. Cuore shook her head and said, "I don't know if you're still in there, but…if you are…thanks. Thanks for helping him."

Realizing that she was still covered in the masked man's blood, Cuore muttered, "I need to get this washed off. Why did you have to cut him in two above me? Why?"

X-5 carried her and said, "Nearest location of water, Sector 5 slums."

"Wait, what? No. Not there!" Cuore said, realizing where he was taking her.

She could object no further as he took off, flying towards the slums.


	7. Chapter 7: The Tower of Doctor Tot, ptI

_Wind Rider: A Special that can harness the power of wind. Their abilities range from using the winds to initiate flight to summoning tornadoes, but not as massive as ones summoned by Storm Riders. Due to their abilities, the international classifications put them between Categories 4 and 5._

Chapter 7: The Tower of Doctor Tot, pt. I

" _Terra! Terra, wake up!" Isa yelled._

 _He got to his knees and crawled to the bars, recovering after being sedated by the guards when he tried to stop them from taking Aqua. He suppressed a whimper as many of the children had been taken and only five other children were left. Even Lea was taken, but the young Berserker hadn't a clue why they would take him. The only thing he knew was that anyone taken by the guards upstairs usually didn't return or ended up like Terra._

 _A roar caught Isa's attention and he saw the dark monster Terra had transformed back into. It lunged for the bars, biting and pulling at the metal. After several minutes of its nonstop assault on the bars, Isa watched it back away and a deep growl rumbled from its chest._

 _He could smell the stench of darkness coming from it and it smelled worse than before. The boy gasped, grabbing the remaining five kids and tackling them to the ground as a beam of dark energy came from Terra's cell. An explosion destroyed the bars and nearly hurt the six children._

 _Isa looked up and saw the monster stomp around. It sniffed the air and snarled, revealing its razor-sharp teeth. Its tail whipped abound, slamming into the walls and the floor in what seemed to be anger. Not paying attention to Isa or the others, it went down on all fours and ran off._

" _Wh-What…? What happened, Isa?" a small girl asked him._

" _I don't know, Shuu. But we need to find the others and get out of here before the guards come back," Isa said._

" _But…But how? We can't control our powers," another, a little boy named Nedus, asked._

" _Then don't. I sure won't," Isa said, his green eyes turning a harsh yellow and feral._

* * *

 _The northeastern continent of Saronia, dark forest, near Bentini Heights…_

After escaping those that chased it through the Twilight Forest, the dark creature crash landed in a forest, smashing through trees and sliding to a halt in the middle of a forest clearing. It didn't move, its wings flat on its back and the tips of them touching the scraggily grass. It panted in exhaustion as it tried to rest. It really wanted to, but the sound of nearby bushes rustling and the smell of curious animals lulled it into a fit of rage. On all fours, it looked around, seeing said animals stare at it.

With a roar, the demon rushed for its prey. As it slashed at the fleeing doe, it cut down the tree she hid behind. Enraged as it ran along with the other animals, the monster breathed in deeply and unleashed a powerful beam of dark energy. The beam destroyed much of the forest, carving through the trees and ripping through the ground. Explosion after explosion set fire to the forest and sent many animals running.

The dark creature went after those fleeing, the moonlight and flames giving light to where its prey hid.

* * *

 _Ten days later, Byregot 15_ _th_ _, Bentiti Heights, near Treno City, Kingdom of Alexandria…_

Sora, Riku and Kairi, sent to Treno as it was reported that the nearby forest had been set ablaze, stood at the gates of the lakefront city of Treno. Smoke rose up from the plains before them and a familiar voice asked, "Okay, so where's the fire?"

Riku was reluctant to let Lea come as the Pyro was known to exacerbate fires instead of extinguishing them. Lea insisted that he should join as he could absorb the flames. Riku was still unsure about his being there, feeling that Lea would go a bit trigger happy if he did eat the flames.

"We should wait for Zidane and Garnet. They're supposed to be here…Well, Garnet's here on vacation with her mother and Zidane was supposed to be doing recon," Kairi said, looking at her phone.

"Over here!"

A boy about 15 jumped from the city gate, holding something in his hands. When he landed, Riku saw his short cut, layered, blonde hair that framed his face, his mischievous greenish-blue eyes and the odd, monkey tail on his back. He had his usual clothes of blue and white and daggers in their sheaves around his waist. The boy was an odd type of Special called a Genome.

Genomes, like Mi'qote, Viera, Mithra, Au Ra and others, were Specials with odd animal-esque appearances and were greatly ostracized by the normal human populace. Even some Specials considered them less-than-human, despite genetic science proving their humanity. On the case of Genomes, their abilities included incredible agility, balance and above average strength. Those traits aided most who turned to thievery, while some used it for vigilantism.

"Hey Zidane," Sora said.

"Hey! Well, you guys kinda came late. The fires out west were put out already by a bunch of Wavecrests two days ago," the Genome, Zidane Tribal, told them.

Lea groaned in disappointment while Riku was relieved at the water-wielding Specials' work. At least that meant that they could return home. But…He had never really been to Treno before. He always saw commercials about it, seeing the slogan "What happens in Treno, stays in Treno" and always wondered about it. But how the nobles would react to seeing an Au Ra, he wondered.

"Riku, you coming?" Lea asked.

The Au Ra teen noticed his friends heading into town. Not wanting to leave them to their own devices in a town they've never been in, Riku followed.

* * *

 _Dark City, Treno, tower at the west end…_

Treno, the city of nobles, was situated on both a lake, near the capital city of Alexandria, and the hills of Bentini Heights. The town was divided in two, with the nobles in their lavish mansions on the waterfront and the poor in shanty houses in the hills. The architecture around the waterfront was mostly from the kingdom's "medieval" age and each mansion gave off that old world charm, suited to the tastes of their owners. Stone bridges and wooden walkways connected every part of the town and guards stood watch as the nobles' mansions, the "bishop's" synthesis shop, the "queen's" castle and the "king's" auction house. Everywhere else, one had to watch for their own self as there was no security and many poorer residents loved to pickpocket.

In a tower on the west side of the city, near the auction house, was a very short, middle aged scholar, muttering to himself as he walked up the stairs. He wore the stereotypical attire of one, a suit, tie, shirt, top hat and very thick glasses. The man didn't hear or pay attention to the low snarling and various claw marks on the walls. Nor did he notice the tower being darker than usual.

"Hmm…' _The storms bring about the world's end and a new birth...The earth rends forth darkness and darkness shall grow in girth…The winds and light travel together with dragons and fire…The moon aids ice and thunder most dire…The angels forever fight whilst lifelong warriors seek the eternal Light…The great firebird, with arms outstretch, protects her brood from the hateful wretch…All guided by Chosen Ones who Fight Fate, ones who shall deliver us before the time is late…'_ " he recited.

The man had spent the past five years trying to decipher what the poem he found in the ruins of the ancient Luxendarc Wind Temple meant. He thought, for the longest, it was about the elemental crystals found on every continent, including the sky ones. But after getting stumped on the "firebird protecting her brood", he figured that the poem had nothing to do with crystals.

"Maybe the poem isn't a poem at all. What if it's some sort of prophecy? Hmm…Similar to LOVELESS…Hmm…" the scholar said, arriving at the top of the stairs.

He then noticed how the room, his observatory/bedroom/library, was. The lights, powered by the town's water generators, didn't work and he was sure he paid his landlord. He flicked the switch, thinking it would come on if he tried a few more times. When that didn't work, the scholar started pondering on what was going on.

"I paid the bill…There's no sign of power outage in town…Hmm…" the man muttered.

Another snarl caught his attention and the old scholar looked around for its source. Finding a small flashlight in a drawer, found after bumping into a few things, the man turned it on, waved it around at where he heard the noise and immediately released a scream at what he saw.

* * *

"Hey! That sounded like Doctor Tot!" Zidane yelled.

"Who?" Sora and Kairi asked.

The Genome took off before they could get any answers out of him and the group of four followed. After stopping in front of a large tower, Riku paused as he smelled something off. It smelled like rotting flesh and motor oil and the stench was horrible to Riku's sharp senses. He covered his nose as Zidane kicked the towers doors open. Afterwards, the group noticed how dark it was inside and Lea summoned flames to his hands, providing light. He took the lead and Riku hoped that the older Pyro wouldn't burn the tower down with them in it.

Stepping into the darkness, Riku felt something was very, very off. The sounds of his footsteps changed to that of ones walking on metal. The sound of gears grinding filled the air and the smell of melted metal came into Riku's nostrils. He looked around in the darkness and felt that he was alone.

Fear gripped him and he didn't know why. He was used to being around dark places and could see just fine due to an Au Ra trait that gave him infrared vision in the dark. So, why was he so afraid? And why couldn't he see well?

Laughter was heard coming behind him and Riku swiftly turned to see an old woman in pink. The white-haired old woman was hunched over and, with her left hand, gripped a cane. On her back's hump was a raven. It stared at Riku and he could feel something off.

"What are you doing here, child?" the old woman asked.

Riku found himself in the halls of what looked like a factory…or a tower. He couldn't really tell as his vision was off. But he could see the woman walk towards him and smile at him creepily.

"You look lost. I can help you get out of here," she said.

"Okay. But where's 'here'?" Riku asked her.

"Ah, you're in the 'Tower of Zot'," the woman replied.

"'Tower of Zit'?" Riku asked, as he didn't get what she said through her odd accent.

"No. The Tower of Zot," she said.

"'Tot'? Like the doctor guy Zidane knows?" Riku asked.

"No. Zot," the elder said, getting annoyed.

Still not understanding her, as his ears picked up various words that rhymed, Riku asked, "'Pot'? Why named after 'herbs'? 'Toot'? No, that's weird. 'Ted'? Why would a tower be named after a guy called Ted?"

The old woman sighed and said, "Nevermind. Just follow me, child, and you shall reunited with your friends."

"Huh. You've seen them?" Riku asked.

She nodded and told him, "Well, we better hurry. Because I'm sure that demon's going to eat them soon."

Sensing that she could be trusted…somewhat…and he didn't want any demon eating his friend, Riku agreed to follow.

* * *

 _With Kairi…_

"Hey! Guys! Hey, guys! Where are you? Sora? Riku? Lea? Zidane? Guys!" Kairi called out.

She was walking around rusted metal halls that seemed twisted like a maze and glanced around as she managed to lose sight of Sora and the others in the darkness. She didn't think that would happen to her, as Lucepuras were known to see though the dark, even through deep darkness, and dispel it. So, why couldn't she see? Light especially becomes even more powerful when darkness runs deep, she thought.

"Hey guys! I'm all alone…" Kairi said.

Scared, she stopped in her tracks and trembled. The area felt cold all of a sudden and Kairi wondered why, as it was in the middle of summer in Luxendarc. A growl came from behind her and Kairi's heart fell. Reluctantly, she turned around slowly and saw a giant beast made of blue flames. She recognized it as a Frost Beast and she knew her power of light wouldn't work as well as fire against it.

So, she screamed while running away, "AAH! I hate everybody and everything!"

The monster chased after her, ready to turn her into a "Kairi-cicle".

* * *

 _With Sora…_

"WAAH! Why are you swinging at me, Mister Monster? What did I ever do to you?" the brunet yelled.

He jumped out of the way of an armored, humanoid monster called a Black Knight's sword. The Black Knight, joined by two other humanoid creatures called Soldieresses, attacked, swinging his black blade at Sora's head. The boy ducked and countered with a gust of wind. With it, he pushed the monster into a nearby wall and the Soldieresses tried a coordinated attack.

One jumped in the air to jump strike him. Sora dodged and her blade struck the metal floor with a clang. The other managed to strike him, charging forward and performing a sliding dash. The she-monster cut his left upper arm and Sora gripped it as the wound began bleeding pretty bad.

In an unknown language, the three monsters regrouped and Sora could see the unnatural red glow in their eyes and the hideous dark aura. The Black Knight lunged forward, performing a sliding dash while the two Soldieresses performed their own jump strike. Sora lifted up both arms over his head and the winds swirled around him, creating a wind barrier.

The two she-monsters were repelled while the Black Knight's sword became stuck, nearly striking Sora's heart. Sora backed away and made a pushing motion with his arms. The wind became a howling gust, pinning the three monsters on another wall. With that and not having many ideas on how to kill the monsters by himself, Sora took off, turning a corner and down another corridor.

* * *

 _With Lea…_

Lea's flames around his arms intensified, lighting up the dark halls and he could see torches lined up. He lifted both arms at the walls and yelled, "Burn baby!"

The fire came out, zipping around the halls like snakes and lightning up every torch in the vicinity. Once the place was well lit, Lea cursed and saw that he was in some kind of metallic maze. Due to his abilities, he wasn't too affected by the sudden heat. Like his body could detect heat, but most times he was fine with high temperatures and would try to push his body to its limits.

'Well, as long as I don't use up the air in here, I should be good,' Lea thought, remembering that lack of oxygen was a weakness of his.

A wobbling sound was heard and Lea looked up and saw a yellow mass on the ceiling above him. Some of it fell on his face and he wiped it off. He realized that it was slime and cursed again.

"Oh no! Not you guys!" Lea groaned.

He jumped out of the way as the mass fell where he stood. The slime split apart upon making contact with the metal floor and Lea said, shivering from bad memories of fighting them, "Yellow Flans…Crud…Well, there goes my appetite…"

The four Yellow Flans looked at him with their weird green eyes and the "leader" shirked forward. It tried to headbutt the Pyro, but Lea jumped back about a foot. He retaliated with a salvo of fire, cupping his hands and releasing the flames. The Yellow Flan was turned to mush and the other three became enraged.

The one farthest back wiggled its body and lightning sparked from it. Lea could do nothing as the Yellow Flan unleashed bolts of lightning. He jumped out of the way of it, landed and felt a shock run through his whole body. Realizing that metal and lightning were made for each other, Lea began cursing in Saronian, wondering why he didn't take out all the Flans.

The other two did the same, hitting Lea with more bolts. The Pyro fell to the floor on his belly and his body convulsed as it tried to dispel the lightning. But no such luck as he was on a metallic surface. The three Flans shirked towards him slowly and Lea tried to move. He couldn't.

"Crap…This is how I go out? This is just great…" Lea thought aloud.

* * *

 _With Zidane…_

He leapt into the air, narrowly missing a Flame Beast's belch of fire. The Genome had been ambushed after climbing up some stairs in the mysterious, metallic, maze-like tower that was formerly Doctor Tot's home. He was trying to reunite with the others when the beast appeared in the small, dead-end corridor.

"Hey! Stop trying to toast me! I probably don't taste good burnt!" Zidane yelled, jumping over the beast and striking its back with his daggers.

It roared and reared up, turning around and swiping at Zidane. The Genome held up his daggers to defend himself, only to get hit hard and sent flying backwards. The beast lunged forward, its fiery maw ready to eat Zidane.

The Genome stood to his feet, readied himself and started gathering energy. Water and lightning appeared on his weapons and he was about to strike when something stabbed the beast in the back. It fell to Zidane's feet and disappeared, its flames scarring the floor.

Zidane looked around for his savior and heard "Zidane! You okay?"

Riku and this old woman had found him. He was armed with his bat wing-shaped machete and ran over to him. Zidane, miffed that Riku stole a victory, said, "Hey! I was gonna use one of my 'Dyne' moves on it."

"Well, you were trying to use water and lightning, something a Flame Beast isn't weak to," Riku told him.

"Yeah, but it's weak against water," Zidane said.

"More like ice," Riku said.

The old woman interrupted them and said, "I see that you've reunited with a friend."

"Yeah, but we got a few more to find," Riku told her.

Zidane stared at the woman and knew that something was off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about that old lady that he didn't like. He could tell that Riku wasn't fully trusting of her either as he looked tense, despite his seemingly friendly demeanor towards her. And that raven. It cawed and started at the Genome with fierce red eyes.

'Oh, that is creepy…' he thought.

The old woman didn't seem to sense his distrust and said, "So, shall we find the others? I'm sure you all would want to leave together."

"That's the plan," Riku told her.

"Alright. Well, let's go," she said.

* * *

 _Doctor Tot's Tower, Treno…_

Doctor Tot started at the figure before him, a confused man in a black cloak. He had painfully changed back from a most demonic-looking form into a man after a little girl in black and red appeared, holding up a star-shaped, crystal pendant. After morphing back, he rammed into much of the furniture, as if he lost the ability to walk correctly. He then fell to the messy, paper covered floor.

"He won't be turning into that creature anytime soon, mister…" the girl said.

"Doctor Thaddeus Otto…or Doctor Tot," Doctor Tot told her.

"Marisa Monteverde. And I'm with Lady Forza's house," Marisa told him.

Doctor Tot nodded and said, "Well thank you for saving me. But…"

He looked at the cloaked man and asked, "What is he? He seems human, but…"

"He's a Shadow Ripper that's lost control of his powers…or you can call him a 'Dark Consumer'. They're very dangerous and I'm happy I found you before he could eat you," Marisa told him.

Doctor Tot was disturbed and saw the man crawling on the floor. He headed for the globe the good doctor had and hit the thing with his hand like a cat with a string. A whine and a hum came from him and he seemed pleased with it.

"So, he's lost his humanity?" Doctor Tot asked Marisa.

The girl nodded and said, "And…that's what I'm afraid of most. I lost my dad the same way."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. But why with the black cloak? That makes him look even more suspicious," Doctor Tot asked.

Marisa looked at the man in black and said, "Well, I don't know much about the color, but I can sense that the cloak's preventing the full use of his powers."

" _ **Return…go…h-home…**_ " the cloaked man said.

He trembled violently and Marisa said, "I won't try to move much. The crystal sapped much of your darkness. So transforming will be extremely painful."

" _ **No…Transform…Friends…"**_ the man muttered.

Remembering that Riku, Sora, Kairi and Lea had arrived about a day ago in the dark region of Treno to put out a wildfire in the forest west of the town, Marisa asked, "Have you see a silver-haired teen, a brunet and two redheads in town?"

"The only redhead I know of here is Amarant Coral, a guard in the King's House. But, there was this one boy, a blonde with a monkey tail named Zidane. He said something about waiting for his friends that matched that description. He headed for the town gate as he took Lady Garnet to the airship docks and I haven't seen him since," Doctor Tot told her.

The man growled and said in a guttural voice, _**"Tower…Tower…Zot…Evil…lady…green-hair…used…darkness…took friends…there."**_

"Tower…Zot? What's that?" Marisa asked, not knowing what he meant.

"Tower…? Zot? Do you mean the 'Tower of Zot'?" Doctor Tot asked.

The man nodded and the scholar's spirits fell. He looked at Marisa and said, "If what he says is true, your friends are trapped in a tower most dire."

"What do you mean?" Marisa asked.

"There's this floating tower that usually makes its haunt the skies above the Central Ocean. It is home to many monsters and whenever it appears, sailors, civilians, wildlife and even island flora would disappear. If they were taken there, then the monsters there would surely go after them," Doctor Tot said.

Standing to his feet, the cloaked man snarled and said, _**"Mu-Must find…get back…"**_

To Marisa and Doctor Tot's surprise, the man morphed back into the demon and lunged for the girl. Before she could move, the beast grabbed her and the two went through a dark corridor that suddenly appeared behind Marisa.

* * *

 _And there's chapter seven. For those who are fans of Final Fantasy IX, Zidane Tribal's the main character of that game. A Genome, like in this fic, he was created to harvest the souls of the planet in his game, but didn't due to certain people raising him as human…quite unlike this fic where he's mostly in recon. And Doctor Tot is also from that game, as he was Princess Garnet's tutor._

 _Lastly, the Tower of Zot is from Final Fantasy IV, where the main character and his group had to go to rescue the main's love interest._

 _-miano53_


	8. Chapter 8: The Tower of Doctor Tot, ptII

_Pyros: Specials who have the ability to control fire. Along with that, Pyros are known to do well in extremely high temperatures, with some able to survive without burns or any other harm to their bodies. The downsides to having such powers is an insatiable urge to burn things, a fiery temperament and weakness to lack of oxygen and cold temperatures as temperatures under -10 degrees Fahrenheit or -23 degrees Celsius is fatal. But, if they survive such ordeals, they can evolve...if the legends are to be believed._

 _-C. Chere's report #65 on Specials_

Chapter Eight: The Tower of Doctor Tot, pt. II

" _Hey! C'mon! The exit's this way!" Isa yelled._

 _He had went upstairs and towards the labs, where he saw many people and many caskets locked away in cells and in cages. Without a second thought, he released them, using his sudden increase in strength to break the doors open. He then ushered the newly freed to the stairwell he had come from and the captives ran off._

 _Once alone, Isa saw doors that led to different rooms, where he smelled a mix chemicals and blood in the air. Tanks filled with pale green liquid were along the walls of the room, which looked more like a manufacturing plant than a mine or a lab. Inside were…people, the same people that Isa and the other children came in with. Some were still human in appearance while others had started horribly mutating._

" _What in the…?" the boy muttered._

 _His sense of smell led him to two particular tanks and he nearly flew into an uncontrollable rage as the tanks held a sleeping Aqua and Lea in them._

" _Hold on! I'll get you guys outta…!" Isa started, summoning a large sword to his hands._

 _He was hit in the back of the head before he could finish his sentence._

* * *

 _Doctor Tot's Tower, Treno…_

Looking up several books on that ancient tower the girl and shapeshifter disappeared to, Doctor Tot found much worrying information. Besides the tower hovering over the Central Ocean in the stratosphere and having hordes of monsters in its halls, those who miraculously escape the fortress describe the tower's master as a woman with cascading blonde hair and wearing a green bikini. They also said that she looked to be a type of pointy-eared Special called an Elezen, but she had powers like a Wind Rider.

The good doctor also found that the tower was used long, long ago during the age of the ancient king, an Elezen called Thordan VI of Ishgard, as a military base for the Ishgardian Empire those 3,500 years ago. That was the age when Specials were seen as saviors and had great respect, the doctor mentally noted. But something happened to make that same king go mad and the tower was turned into a maze-like prison, where many of the king's enemies were imprisoned and tortured.

Nowadays, the tower floated aimlessly around the Central Ocean, taking those the tower's master deemed as enemies. Recently, many fishing vessels, marine life and the occasional

"But…if the events of nearly 4,000 years ago caused for Specials to be in such a state…then, what happened? And why is that tower still active? If anything…it should've fallen and sunk into the ocean by now," Doctor Tot thought aloud.

Fear gripped him and he prayed, "Please be careful and return to Lady Forza."

* * *

 _Tower of Zot, Riku and Zidane…_

"OH MY GOD! NO!" Zidane yelled.

The two, along with the old woman, ran down the halls, as they were being chased by large, grey, surprisingly swift, snapping turtles with bloodthirsty red eyes called Fell Turtles. The monstrous creatures, originally normal snapping turtles, chased down the trio as they had stumbled onto their nest in one of the 4th floor hallways dead ends. That and Zidane just had to pick one up, wondering if mutated turtle eggs tasted the same as regular chicken or chocobo eggs. He was a bit famished and wanted to make an omelet when they got home.

"Zidane, the heck is wrong with you?" Riku bellowed, dodging to the right as one of the Fell Turtles came charging on the left.

"I WAS SO HUNGRY! And I didn't think they would notice!" Zidane screamed.

"Well, they would as you tried to take one of their babies," the old woman said rather calmly.

"I said I was sorry!" Zidane yelled.

He jumped as the second Fell Turtle tackled at him. The Genome landed on its head and bucked as the creature still barreled down on his friend and the old woman. As it did, Zidane screamed, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was so hungry!"

The monster turtle halted in its tracks, sending Zidane flying off its back and forward into a wall. He smacked it face first and groaned in pain. He could've sworn he broke something and practically peeled himself off.

To his horror, they ran into another dead end. This time, at the end of the hall were three Black Knights, a Soldieress and two Ice Lizards. The trio were surrounded and the monsters lurked closer and closer towards them.

Zidane faced the right, in his battle stance and daggers at the ready. Riku was on the left, holding up his machete and ready to strike. The old woman was in the middle and she looked at the right and left, as if she was worried.

"Ice Lizards…paralyzes with their icy gaze…Soldieresses…monsters that take the form of warrior women…Black Knights…darkness controlling hollow suits of armor…Fell Turtles…normal turtles mutated by malice in dark crystals…" the old woman muttered.

"Hey! Stop talking like that and help us!" Zidane yelled.

She didn't respond as a bloodcurdling roar split the air. The Fell Turtles screeched as a hula-hoop like weapon sliced through their shells. They collapsed and disappeared in a burst of light. A dark corridor appeared in front of Zidane and a demon jumped out of it. To his relief, it attacked the monsters before him, slashing and biting its way to victory.

On Riku's side was the newbie, Marisa. She looked at her fallen foes and then to Riku and Zidane. She smiled and said, "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah. But how did you…?" Zidane asked.

A snarl cut their attention to the demon. It stood up after taking out the Ice Lizards, Black Knights and Soldieress. It stared at the old woman and roared violently. Marisa stood in front of Zidane and said, "Calm down! All the monsters are gone!"

It bared its fangs and lunged for the old woman in the group. Marisa held up a star-charm and a light fired off from it. The demon disappeared just as the light struck it and reappeared where Riku stood.

The old woman held onto him and said, "Protect me please!"

Marisa tried using the star-charm again and the demon disappeared once more, reappearing and tackling Zidane to the floor. It looked at the old woman again and roared. Without another word, the woman sprinted off, carrying Zidane with ease and Riku followed. Marisa did the same, attempting to shoot the demon again.

* * *

 _With Sora…_

"Okay, I should be safe here…I think…" Sora said.

He slipped past the same monsters, the Black Knight and two Soldieresses, and went into a small, box-filled alcove to recover. Remembering what he packed, Sora, hiding behind a few boxes, rummaged through his oversized pockets and found a bottle the size of his hand. A turquoise colored liquid that glowed with a soft light when shaken was inside and Sora popped the small cork top off of it. He downed the contents and his wounds of several deep cuts, bruises and a sprained ankle slowly disappeared.

Finding another bottle, Sora thought to drink it when he heard voices coming from outside. The voices didn't sound human and Sora figured that the monsters had found his hiding spot. Terrified and whispering, Sora quickly muttered, "Please don't find me. Please don't find me. Please don't find me! Please don't find me!"

He fell silent as the sound of doors opening was heard. The brunet silently prayed, hoping and believing someone would help save him. All he had was wind powers and they didn't seem to work too well against those monsters. Like he knew how to use wind to complement others' abilities, like Lea's fire powers and combining his powers with Shoji, Roxas and/or Ventus to create tornadoes. And he knew how to repel and escape quickly with his powers, enhanced by his carefree nature. But, the only way to kill monsters…or anything else…was to remove oxygen and that was to draw on dark thoughts.

Sora didn't want to, the opposite of his brother, and nearly yelped when the front row of boxes were destroyed. He peeked out of it and saw a fading away Frostbeast lying there. He was shocked to see an exhausted Kairi standing in the doorway.

"Kairi? Kairi!" he yelled, coming out of his hiding spot.

"Sora?" she said.

The girl was injured as she had burn marks and a bite mark on her left arm. Her hands pulsated with light and the boy asked what happened.

"Well, after we were split up, I was ambushed and chased by that Frostbeast. And then it cornered me outside and then…I blasted it with light…and…" Kairi said.

She nearly fell to the floor when Sora caught her. Taking out one of his spare bottles of ether, a potent, blue energy drink, he gave it to the tired Kairi and she drunk the contents. A few moments later, she was fine and light shone from her wounds. They were healed and Kairi told Sora, "And I guess that light disintegrated those monsters at the door."

He remembered how if Kairi was terrified, she had the ability to unleash holy light on foes. If the foe was a monster, the light instantly turned them into dust. If human…well, she didn't face many human foes, but he knew that nothing good could happen. But since Kairi mostly used her abilities to heal others, Sora didn't think there was much to worry about because her attacking was rare.

'Yeah, Kairi wouldn't attack normal people or us. There's no way. Heh-heh,' Sora thought nervously.

"Sora? You okay?" she asked, looking him over.

"Oh. I'm fine. Just had to drink a potion. Oh, but do you know where the others are?" he said.

Kairi shook her head and Sora was a bit crestfallen. That is, until he heard another scream. That of a squealing pig. Or just a guy running from said pigs.

"What was that?" Sora asked, not able to tell if the screams were human.

Gasping, Kairi stood to her feet and said, "That was Zidane! I recognize his voi…!"

"WHOA! WHAT THE…?"

"And that sounded like Riku. Let's go," Sora said.

The two ran off and towards what they hoped were their friends. As they did, a little girl in a light pink leotard watch them, grinning evilly.

* * *

 _Tower of Zot, top floor, chamber…_

"It seems you're coming to. My Flans did a great job in bringing you here unscathed."

Lea opened his eyes and found himself strapped to a metal throne. A metal blade was hanging above him and he tried to move, seeing that his arms, legs and waist. The room was awfully cold and the Pyro saw two Frostbeasts, lion-like monsters made of ice, standing at each side of a bikini clad blonde. She glared at him and Lea quickly summoned flames to his arms.

"Don't even bother. Those bonds are made of mythril. They won't melt or break easily from your weak flames, Pyro," the woman said.

"Where am I? Who're you?" Lea asked.

"I'm the one asking the questions here, intruder. You break into my domain and expect me to be hospitable. If anything, I should have my pets freeze you. And since you're a Pyro, I know that you all don't do well under ice," the woman said.

"Lady Barbariccia!"

Three women in scantily clad armor rushed into the room and the tower's owner sighed. Their glowing, blood red eyes and pale skin told Lea that they couldn't have been human and he wanted out.

"What is it now?" the one in the green bikini, Barbariccia, looked at them in annoyance.

"The Wind Rider had reunited with that Lucepura," one said.

A second nodded and the third told her mistress, "That Lucepura girl's powerful. She eradicated all the guards on the fourth floor…like she was some kind of bomb or something!"

Lea smirked and said, "And she'll do the same to you if she finds out I'm trapped here by you."

"Like I'm afraid of a little light, Pyro," Barbariccia said.

"Well, she doesn't have just a little light and I don't have a 'little flame', Miss…Valvaliccia," Lea said, hearing the monsters pronounce her name differently.

"It's 'Barbariccia'…Oh, whatever. Get the Magus Sisters on the line," Barbariccia told her servants.

"Th-Them? Wh-What about the Au Ra and Genome? Are you sending them after them?" the second Soldieress asked.

"What do you think, you idiot? Oh…This is what happens when my servants are useless fiends…" Barbariccia said, muttering the last bit.

The Soldieresses didn't hear her and asked each other, "Do you think defeating them will give us new power, like that teal-haired lady said? Can we? But what if they kill us first? That Lucepura did that to the others…"

"Excuse me! Didn't I say get the Magus Sisters?" Barbariccia said.

"Yes ma'am! We're sorry ma'am!" the three said, running out of the room.

Barbariccia petted one of the Frostbeasts and said, "Keep this room as cold as possible. Sooner or later, the intruder will tell us why he and his friends invaded."

She disappeared as winds surrounded her and the lions of blue flame snarled. Their mere presence and breaths made the room even colder, near subzero temperatures. Lea's teeth chattered and he muttered, "You th-think I'm w-w-worried about a li-litt-little c-c-cold?"

Small sparks came from his body, only to fizzle out when it was airborne.

* * *

 _With Zidane, Marisa and Riku, two floors below…_

"Whoa! No-no-no-no-no-no-no-no-NO!" Zidane yelled, ducking and jumping over salvos of darkness.

Riku did the same, performing gravity defying parkour feats, jumping over pipes and running up the side of walls to the other side of random gaps in the floor. Marisa glided over any gaps and used her powers of what looked like telekinesis to keep the old woman afloat. Behind them was the demon creature Marisa had brought with her.

It ran on all fours, chasing after them as they helped the old woman. It seemed to hate her, to which Riku would understand if he knew why. Sure, he was suspicious of the random old woman that found him in the tower but he didn't think to have her killed or anything.

The monsters up ahead ran away, not waiting for the group to pass them by. Riku believed that they could sense the malice oozing off of the dark creature and fled for their lives. They were heading for what appeared to be a stairwell of sorts and broke through its doors.

The four were almost there when Riku slid to a halt. An even more eerie presence filled the air and the Au Ra felt like the air around him grew too still. Zidane bumped into him, along with Marisa and the elder. The four turned to see the dark monstrosity lurking towards them. It snarled and seethed at the presence of the woman.

Riku readied his weapon, feeling the dangerous presence coming from behind him, not in front. Zidane did the same and Marisa summoned a hula-hoop blade out of darkness. She looked at the old woman, who didn't seem to want to fight.

" _Oh come on, Sandy! This is our chance!"_

"Huh? Who's 'Sandy'?" Zidane asked, his tail starting to wag at the mere mention of a girl.

The old woman glared at the charging demon and he leapt at her. He was seconds from striking when an unknown force pushed him back and flying straight into a wall. He crashed, leaving a large dent in the metal wall. Riku found himself running towards the monster. Zidane was the same, leaving behind a confused Marisa.

"Who's Sandy?" she asked.

The old woman rolled her eyes and said, "Cindy, why would you blow my cover like that?"

A rotund teen in a purple leotard, to which Riku thought was a horrible fashion choice, appeared. A scythe was in her hands and she scowled at Zidane, Riku and Marisa hatefully. She looked to the old woman, apparently named Sandy, and Marisa stepped back as a malevolent, purple light came from her. When it faded, Riku and the others saw a very tall, thin brunette in a pink, cut-up leotard in her place.

"I was this close getting them to trust me, Cindy," Sandy said.

"Yeah, but Lady Barbariccia said…" Cindy tried to tell her.

Sandy silenced her and told the group, "Well, now that the jig is up, I'm afraid that we can't have you all leave this tower."

"Why not?" Zidane asked.

Marisa went back to tending to the dark creature behind them as it turned into a figure in black. The hooded figure sat up and muttered, "M-Monsters…"

"Oh no, sir! We are not monsters!" Sandy said.

She slammed her staff into the floor and lightning struck the floor. Those standing on it, save for Sandy and Cindy, fell to the ground as they violently convulsed from all the electricity. On his stomach and barely able to move, Riku saw Sandy kneel down to his level. She grabbed him by his hair and said, "Don't ever compare us Eidolons to those lowly monsters Barbariccia keeps."

'Eidolons? Like the ones Rydia and Eiko summon?' Riku thought.

Sandy slammed his head onto the floor and the Au Ra was dazed. Too weak to shake his head to rid himself of it, he watched as a group of Soldieresses pick them up and take them away.

* * *

"Oh no…" Kairi whispered.

Sora and she watched as the monsters took Riku and the others away. Overhearing that Sandy and Cindy weren't monsters, but something called Eidolons, Sora whispered, "Um, Kairi, aren't Eidolons those things Eiko and Rydia summon?"

"Yeah, but why are Eidolons working with monsters. They don't like them at all," Kairi muttered.

"Uh huh. They're supposed to be eternal enemies or something," Sora added.

He immediately sensed something behind him and pulled Kairi to the floor as a knife sailed in their direction. It was embedded where Kairi's head was moments ago and its owner was a little girl in pink. She seemed disappointed and scoffed, saying, "Darn it! I missed!"

"Uh, what do you think you're doing?" Kairi asked, getting to her feet.

Sora nodded saying, "Yeah! You shouldn't be playing with knives like that. And…how did you even get a knife? Are you some kind of demon-child-knife-killer-kid or something?"

"Wow, that was long, Sora…" Kairi mumbled.

"Well, she's reeks of evil vibes and…!" Sora told her.

He ducked as the girl tossed another knife at his head. Angry, the spikey-haired teen yelled, "Stop it!"

"Nope! I defeat you two and I'll be a super powerful! Stronger than any 'l'Cie' or 'Fal'Cie'!" the girl said.

She summoned more weapons in her hands, holding them as if they were fans. The girl leapt at Sora and he jumped back as she swung. Kairi blocked another swipe with a shield she formed out of the light around her and took off. Sora followed and the two dodged more knives, all while running in a zigzag formation.

"Hey! Stop it!" Sora yelled.

* * *

Lea, shivering violently and making more attempts to summon fire, glared at the seemingly happy Frostbeasts. The monsters of freezing blue fire grinned and had their tongues loll out like dogs. They were based off of the real thing, just formed from evil and malice of dark ice crystals.

The Pyro was surprised that he had lasted that long in the cold as he could've sworn he had been freezing for hours. But, he thought, he could've been there only for a few minutes.

"M-Man…Why d-d-d-don't y-y-you guys just k-kill me already?" Lea asked.

The monsters looked at each other and then belched blue flames from their maws. That made the room even colder and icicles started forming on the ceiling. Ice coated the floor and Lea yelled, "I-I d-didn't th-think you would t-take me s-s-seriously!"

He tried to summon flames to heat himself for the fifth time and he started getting angry as all he could conjure were small sparks. In his hypothermic, clouded mind, the thought of his being in the same situation crossed his mind. But…when that ever happened, Lea thought.

"STOP IT!"

Lea saw Sora and Kairi barrel into the room, crashing into the Frostbeasts and taking out one. The second backed away and a little girl in pink slid into the room, slipping on the ice. The knives she carried dropped onto the ground and Lea was confused.

"H-hey! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" Kairi said, seeing the Frostbeast.

The monster wasn't fazed by the girl's appearance and the child picked up her knives, slid towards the beast and hopped onto its back. With an evil grin, the girl said, "Yes, Mister Frosty! We'll get revenge for Señor Frio!"

"'Señor Frio'?" Lea asked.

He quickly ignored her as he realized that the air was now warmer from the door being broken down. Concentrating on his wrists, the Pyro started channeling whatever fire he could. The mythril bands started to change color and Lea thought of everything that made him angry the past few months.

"Hey! Whoa! What's going on?" Sora screamed, ducking and jumping from the Frostbeast's lunges.

Kairi ducked from the monster's tail swipe and suddenly felt heat coming from Lea's direction. She looked towards him, after summoning a barrier to protect herself and Sora and saw Lea's body suddenly smoke. The Lucepura gasped, wondering what Lea was planning.

"Go! Get revenge for Señor Frio!" the girl yelled.

The beast belched cold fire and Sora blasted wind at the Frostbeast, only for its freezing body to become even colder. Kairi bellowed, teeth chattering and barrier weakening, "Sora! St-Stop it!"

"It seemed like a good idea!" Sora screamed.

Her barrier shattered and the two clutched onto each other, screaming as the blue flames turned them to ice.

* * *

"What? NO!" Lea yelled.

Originally thinking angry thoughts on how Isa would doubt his abilities constantly, Terra usually beating him in fights and how that Barbariccia woman captured him, Lea could only generate smoke and a few sparks. Apparently it didn't make him angry enough, as anger and other powerful emotions such as joy, sadness and rage affect his flames. That and the level of oxygen, temperature of the area and even the dew point affected him.

Once he saw the Frostbeast and its rider attack Sora and Kairi, Lea's flames appeared on his arms, heating up the mythril bands on his arms. But when the monster stopped its attack, revealing the frozen over duo, Lea's eyes widen and he yelled, "What was that for?"

"You guys are intruders and intruders gotta be punished! That and they killed Señor Frio! And once we take you 'l'Cie' out, we'll be…!" the girl said.

"That's enough Mindy."

Two others appeared, one a rotund teen in purple and the other a young woman in red. The one in red, Sandy, looked at the iced over Sora and Kairi and then to Lea. The one in purple, Cindy, nodded and told little Mindy, "Yeah, don't tell that guy about how we're gonna become human!"

Sandy rolled her eyes and said, "Way to go, Cindy…"

The big one covered her mouth and Mindy ordered, "Mister Frosty! Take him out!"

* * *

Lea didn't even get a chance to scream as the Frostbeast attacked him with a final frost blast. Once the blast died, the three Eidolons saw Lea covered in ice, like Sora and Kairi. Pleased, Sandy told her sisters, "Now we should be free of our shackles. We'll be human, not taking orders from Summoners or anyone else ever again!"

"You sure? Don't feel like I'm human…" Cindy asked.

"Yeah, how can you tell?" Mindy asked

Sandy couldn't really say. She never asked any of her previous Summoners about it. But, the teal-haired one in white told them that if they took out the intruders, they would become stronger. But she still felt the same.

'What's going on? Were we tricked? No way. She had to have been telling the truth since she knew so much and she didn't give off the same vibes as other Summoners…' Sandy thought.

"Sandy…?" Mindy said as mist filled the chamber.

The eldest of the sister Eidolons suddenly couldn't see her sisters and she felt the room suddenly grow hot, like a sauna.

"AAH! What the…?" Cindy screamed.

A column of flame came from where Sandy thought their prisoner was. The mist disappeared for only a moment and for the eldest to see her middle sister get engulfed by the fire. Sandy screamed, the Eidolon watching in horror as her sister was turned into a shower of purple light, along with ashes.

"Cindy, no!" she cried.

The mist started clearing and another column of flame headed for her. Sandy jumped out of the way, only for Mindy and Mister Frosty to get consumed by it. The mist disappeared, revealing a fiery figure floating where the prisoner was.

The figure's, male, body was of lava and flames billowed from him. His hair was flames and his eyes were a shining green. A smirk was on his face and he said in an echoic voice, "So much for that. Now burn baby!"

Sandy couldn't teleport out of the room fast enough and was destroyed by the flame.

* * *

"Wow, I didn't know I was that strong," Lea said, looking at his newly transformed self.

All he did was give into the anger of watching and feeling helpless as his friends were turned into popsicles. It went to a breaking point when he himself was turned into one and something else had happened. He couldn't explain where the other reserves of anger came from, but…

A moan caught his attention and he spotted Kairi trying to get out of the ice. Sora was still frozen solid and Lea could sense that he wasn't doing too well.

"Whoa! Hold on! I'll get ya outta there!" Lea said, shooting small streams of fire from his hands.

* * *

 _And now Lea's even stronger now. But why would Eidolons (summon spirits) attack people? And what happened to Riku and the others? Stay tuned._

 _-miano53_


	9. Chapter 9: The Looming Fall

" _Eidolons, 'summon spirits', 'Aeons' or 'Espers', are creatures of yore and servants of Specials called 'Summoners'. Using the power of dreams as well as aid from the crystals of our world, Summoners draw on that power to bring the Eidolons into reality. The creatures protect their Summoners and they in return. But that power also caused much strife for many Summoners, with many non-powered peoples calling them 'witches' and 'warlocks'. That and some Eidolons turning on their masters when the strife started…"_

 _-Lady Luces Farna, 34_ _th_ _High Summoner of Mist_

Chapter Nine: The Looming 'Fall'

 _Castle Forza, Lady Maria Theresa's office…_

Looking out of the large bay window of her office, the elder stumbled for a moment, feeling a disturbance in the forces of nature. A powerful migraine, accompanied by the vision of Sora, Lea and Kairi getting frozen over, Riku, Zidane, Marisa and the hooded figure getting captured by Soldieresses and three rogue Eidolons wanting to be human, nearly bowled her over and she grabbed onto the window's ledge. Images of the world getting slammed by many meteors, covered by thick, dark clouds and monsters running about frightened her and Lady Forza gasped for air as it felt as if she was being suffocated.

More clouded her normal vision as she saw Specials and normal humans being rounded up and taken to factories, where their anguish-filled screams filled the air. Darkness was everywhere and a pale woman with long, stringy teal-colored hair, blood red eyes and wearing white watched with an eerie smile. The scene was too much like the 'Shoah' from 60 years ago, a mass genocide of Specials living on the northeastern continent of Eternia. She was among those captured, but had survived the brutal murders of Eternian Specials. Like those who did, she vowed never to let anything like that happen again. So, why was she having visions of…?

'What is going on? I thought my rescuing Lea, Terra and Isa prevented…Oh no...My children…' Lady Forza thought, holding her head in pain.

" _She has signed the contract. Now the world's end is at hand."_

Lady Forza's vision faded to black and the next thing she knew she was standing in the center of a snowy field. Many ruined, stone gazebos dotted the area and in the center of it was a figure in white, sitting on a tree stump. Against her better nature, Lady Forza approached and saw the figure was a little girl.

She turned to face the older woman and looked like a younger version of the mysterious, teal-haired woman in her vision. The girl grinned and said, "Hi! I'm Cora! And you're Maria Theresa Luciano-Forza."

"Yes. I am. But, how do you know my name? And where are we? I don't remember teleporting or anything," Lady Forza said.

Cora sighed and said, "Yeah, you're a lot weaker than the Lady Forza from my world."

Not liking being called weak, Lady Forza told her, "Excuse me. Weaker? What do you mean? And why can't I read your mind?"

"Well…that maybe due to us evolving with each encounter with you…That and someone sealing much of your power away…Anyway, I can't talk much now as my powers are fading fast. You have to find your granddaughter. Your granddaughter and her friends," Cora told her.

"Hold on. What do you mean that you 'evolve' every time you find me? And who sealed my power? If someone did, I would know," Lady Forza asked.

Cora shook her head and said, "There's no time to explain. Just ask my sister, Cuore, when she finds you. She'll explain all that. I'm just to tell you that you gotta get your granddaughter to leave Shinra. She has to, along with her friends, or else what you saw will happen. That and you should unlock the memories on that Pyro, Lea."

"How do you know…?" Lady Forza asked.

Cora refused to answer, only saying, "If anyone of your students fall, then that will spell the end of the world. Please. Protect them with all your might."

Before she could attempt to ask another question, an unknown force pushed Lady Forza back…

* * *

 _Tower of Zot, top floor…_

Shivering, Kairi sat on the floor, along with a still-thawing Sora, as Lea used his power to warm the room to late summer temperatures. His body was made of flames and Kairi was amazed as she had never seen anything like that before. Like she had heard stories of elemental Specials turning into their respective elements, but never in person.

"M-Man, that would be great if you could also be a dryer or something," Sora said, trembling as he continued to thaw.

Kairi rubbed her hands together and held them up at Lea. The Pyro stood proudly, saying, "Now Terra and Isa's gotta give me my 15,000 munny! I evolved!"

"15,000? That's almost enough to get a car," Kairi said.

"Well, Isa said that Specials couldn't 'evolve' and Terra and I thought we could. So, we made a bet that the first one to do so would get 15,000 munny," Lea explained.

Sora nodded and said, "Th-That's g-great and all, b-but…can you k-keep the heat going? I'm st-still f-freezing…"

"Oh. Sorry, man," Lea said, holding out his hand and flames sprouting up from them.

* * *

 _With Riku, Marisa and Zidane…_

A roar jolted Marisa awake and she gasped as Riku and Zidane, both unconscious, were stuck inside of a large cage suspended what seemed to be many feet in the air via wind currents. She looked around to see where the roars came from and saw the monster near the cage's top. It pulled at the bars, trying to break free, but the bars won out. It kept snarling and growling, roaring at the darkened heavens.

After several moments, it landed on the cage's bottom, shaking it violently and scaring Marisa. Marisa kept her distance as it faced her and roared violently. Hoping to calm it, the young Shadow Ripper said, "H-Hey, ca-calm down. We'll find a way out of…"

It interrupted her with another roar and heard, "Well, I don't think he understands you anymore, _hume_."

A blonde clad in an emerald-colored bikini floated to their level and Marisa felt fear grip her. She wasn't like a Maenad, but the fear that she felt was similar to what she felt whenever she encountered one, save for Cuore. The woman, with pointed ears like an Elezen, had winds swirling around her and she looked pleased as punch that they were trapped.

"Who are you? What do you want with us? And how did you use his darkness in Treno?" Marisa asked, referring to the monster glaring at her.

"Lady Barbariccia, Empress of Winds and lord of this tower," the woman said.

Zidane and Riku finally woke up, screamed at the presence of the monster and then reacting to Barbariccia. Zidane's monkey tail started wagging and he yelled, "Whoa! Look at the fan-service! Er, I mean…"

"Zidane, get your mind out of the gutter," Riku told him.

The monster roared again, charged at her, slammed into the bars and took a swipe in the space between them. Barbariccia backed away, laughed and said, "I do hope you realize that with every movement, you risk this cage falling and killing all of you."

"What? Why didn't…?!" Marisa asked.

"I'm what you call a 'bad guy', so I don't have to tell you anything. I can just sit back and enjoy you all falling to your demise," Barbariccia said, leaning back as if she was laying on a sedan.

Zidane's tail stopped wagging and he immediately started looking for ways to escape, without his or Riku's dying. Marisa tried opening a dark corridor, only for the darkness to fizzle out as quickly as she summoned it. Riku checked the bars for anything loose and the beast continued its assault in the upper parts of the cage. With every ram, the cage tilted a little off the air current swirling under it.

"Hey! Stop it!" Riku yelled.

The creature ignored him and instead kept ramming into the bars. Zidane yelped, grabbed onto Marisa, who became quite uncomfortable, and said, "Hey, you're gonna make the cage fall!"

It still didn't heed either of them and Riku asked, "Do you have a death wish or something? I'm not trying to die! I'm too young!"

Marisa tried again to summon darkness and the energy dissipated. She looked around, trying to find out why and felt a strange energy coming from the bars. Right before she could ponder if, the monster gave one final ram, sending the cage off of the current keeping it afloat and spiraling downward.

"OH GOD! NO!" Zidane screamed, clutching onto Marisa for dear life.

Riku held onto the bars, screaming various curses in Eblanese. Marisa squeezed her eyes shut, horrified her end was going to be that way.

* * *

"Oh no! Oh no!" Kairi yelled

The trio of Kairi, Sora and Lea arrived at the rooftop of the tower and saw something falling from the heavens. It looked like a cage and Kairi could sense that there were people in it. She held her hands up towards it, cupped them and fired off a blast of light energy. It hit, but the cage kept its rapid descent.

Seeing that they were in the crash zone, Sora grabbed Kairi by the waist and took to the skies. Lea, still in flame form, did the same and the cage crashed onto the roof, shattering into pieces. The trio stared at the sight and Lea said, "There were people in there?"

"Yeah, Riku, Zidane, and Marisa…and someone else," Kairi said, hoping that her barrier worked.

"Ow…!"

Sora and she turned to see a bruised up Zidane clutched by the claws of Asura, Riku's black scaled dragon. The 20 foot in length, winged lizard had his master on his back, bruised but conscious. Marisa was behind him, laying on his back, barely conscious and covered in cuts. The fourth that Kairi had sensed was nowhere to be found and the blonde in a bikini, despite the air around them being very cold as they were really high up, appeared.

She glared at Lea and asked, "I take it that the monster fled the first chance it got. And that these people are your friends, intruder?"

"Yep. And now I can get back at ya, Volvagia, for trying to freeze me to death," Lea said, his body's flames increasing.

"It's 'Barbariccia'! Ugh, no matter…" the woman, Barbariccia, sighed.

Sora nodded and said, "We'll fight too!"

Riku agreed as well as Zidane. Marisa said nothing as she had passed out and Kairi noted to heal her the instant she got the chance. Barbariccia smirked and raised her hands. The winds around them increased and became blinding.

"I just hope your Wind Rider can keep up with me, _humes_ ," Barbariccia said, her voice becoming an echo.

The blinding winds died and the four stood on a floating isle hovering many feet above a valley of sharp rocks and darkness. In the distance was a mountain that had waves of blue light coming from it as well as other floating islands surrounding it. The skies above were a pale green and was choked with many clouds. Something told Kairi that the scenery wasn't natural, but…

"Kairi! Hurry up and get over here!" Riku yelled, grabbing Marisa and placing the unconscious girl onto the ground.

Knowing what to do, Kairi placed a hand on the girl's head and one over her heart. She concentrated and thought of the girl being made whole. When she did, bright, white light poured out of her hands and into Marisa's body. The cuts and bruises disappeared within the light and the girl woke up within moments, quickly sitting up.

"Huh? We…survived? Where are we?" she asked.

"I dunno. But we gotta find Barbariccia and get back at her for kidnapping us!" Lea said.

Marisa jumped at the sight of him and the Pyro asked, "Oh come on! You're scared of me? After all the crap that happened to us, me having a fire body scares you?"

"Um, yes. Pyros don't have that ability where I'm from," Marisa replied.

Zidane was impressed and Riku was surprised, with the Genome saying, "Wow…Aw man. Now I owe Shoji 2,000 munny."

"Yeah and I owe him and Isa 1,500…Anyway, we need to find a way out of here and away from Barbariccia. It's clear she's trying to kill us, but why? What did we ever do to her?" Riku said.

Remembering what the Magus Sisters said, Kairi told them on how the ones that kidnapped them were Eidolons that wanted to be human. If they were, they would be among the strongest Specials alive.

"So, Barbariccia's an Eidolon? I don't remember Garnet ever telling me about her," Zidane asked.

The winds picked up again and Lea said, "Never mind that! We gotta take her out now!"

He flew off and Kairi muttered, "He's even more hotheaded than usual…"

"Okay, game plan. Sora and Marisa, you guys keep Barbariccia on the ropes. Use all of your powers and I mean all of it!" Riku said.

"But Lady Forza said that we're not supposed to…!" Kairi started.

"Does it look like she's here? And if she was, she would've wanted us to do so to survive! Zidane, you can launch off of Asura and use all your Dyne abilities. Kairi, you're on healing and buffing duties. Use your light as much as possible and stay on Asura's back at all times since you can't fly and all," Riku ordered.

"But you can't either!" Kairi said, thinking that Riku forgot he had no wings or anything.

The train-like roar of a twister filled the air. They saw Lea flying towards a massive storm cloud, looking like a comet descending into the atmosphere. He flew into it, a puff of clouds appearing at the point of impact. Riku then added, "Sora and Marisa, back up Lea and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Okay. Here we go," Sora and the newcomer said.

With a single jump, the two were airborne and blasted off towards the approaching cyclone. Riku and Kairi got on Asura's back and the dragon flapped his wings, getting airborne. Zidane jumped up, grabbing onto its legs and Riku, using reins on his dragon, rode Asura towards the storm.

Kairi held onto her friend's back, hoping not to fall off and towards an untimely demise. As Riku skillfully rode his dragon, he dodged various debris that included trees, rocks and even the odd piece of machinery or two. When one was flung towards them, Asura took in a deep breath and unleashed a blast of purple fire. The debris was reduced to ashes and the dragon flew closer to the maelstrom.

Terrified as the monster storm approached them too rapidly, Kairi screamed, "We'll be sucked in."

"Nope. Asura, _noboru_! _Kumonoue o*_!" Riku commanded.

The dragon arched upwards, ascending farther into the heavens. Kairi was sure they were going to hit the stratosphere as they were already really high into the air. Instead, they managed to make it above the clouds and above the stormy vortex Barbariccia created. In the center of it was a figure glowing a pale green light.

Riku and Zidane jumped into the tornado's eye, with Kairi screaming their names as they jumped.

"Um…Asura…Um…Na-bar-u?" Kairi said.

The dragon didn't heed her and she figured he wouldn't because she wasn't his rider. Terrified as they were high up and she couldn't see her friends, the girl tried commanded him again, butchering the language Riku used.

Clutching onto the dragon's back, Kairi yelped when he suddenly dipped towards the tornado's eye. The girl screamed as the beast rushed for the violent winds.

* * *

Within Barbariccia's storm, Sora and Marisa hopped and dodged around various debris swirling about. Sora, when not flying, hopped across the various rocks and trees caught in the winds and Marisa flew around the place, dodging the debris. Barbariccia herself was wrapped in a tornado and was virtually unapproachable.

Sora blasted wind at her, only for it to add to the crazed gusts. Marisa summoned her ring blade and tossed it at her, only for the weapon to bounce off the winds and back to its wielder. The two didn't notice Lea, who kept firing at debris as they seemed to hone in on him.

"Wind blades!" Sora yelled.

The winds he could summon surrounded him and some even took corporeal form, shaping themselves like swords. Sora flew towards Barbarricia and yelled, "Cutting gales!"

The swords of wind were fired off towards the Eidolon, only for it to get absorbed. Mocking him, Barbarricia said, "That was quite a lovely breeze, boy. But, this is how it's done."

Still wrapped in her tornado, the Eidolon summoned five massive blades of wind and fired them at Sora, Marisa and the distracted Lea. Sora jumped out of the way and got airborne, seeing the weapon shatter upon impact on the storm wall and absorbed. Marisa, who had landed on a rocky platform, jumped from it and landed on another. The sword sliced the previous rock in two and another zeroed in on her location. She jumped again, getting airborne, and flew around as the two wind blades chased after her.

Lea shot upward, narrowly missing the one after him. He then yelled, blasting fire at it. Another swung at him vertically, spinning at him. The Pyro moved to the side and also shot flames at it. That was a horrible mistake as the swords were turned into fire blades and Sora wasn't too keen on getting burned alive.

"Lea! What are you doing?" he yelled.

"What? Kinda busy at the moment!" Lea said, not paying Sora any attention as he was preoccupied with the multiple debris being hurled at him along with the now fiery blades.

Sora, as he had landed on another platform, jumped off as some metallic debris was hurled his way. Once again in the air, the Wind Rider kept moving as Barbariccia kept throwing metal his way. Laughing, she had her wind blades continue chasing Marisa and the fiery swords, rocks and wayward ancient machinery.

"Take that!"

Riku and Zidane had appeared from the heavens and Riku struck the back of Barbariccia's tornado with his machete. He manage to hit her as well, leaving a deep cut in her back. Zidane quickly followed it up by striking her with a blast of blue energy, a Dyne ability called Free Energy.

Barbariccia fell out of the sky and her body smacked onto a larger platform far below them. As Riku and Zidane made their rapid free fall, Sora caught Zidane by the tail and Marisa caught Riku.

"Thanks," Riku told the girl.

"No. Thank you. How did you know to strike her from above?" Marisa asked.

"Well, a deceased friend…" Riku started.

"Oh, Kain? Yeah, he figured out that Wind Riders wrapped in tornadoes can lose their concentration if you strike them from the air," Lea interrupted.

"I was going to say that. Anyway, I don't think we're done yet," Riku said.

Zidane, looking at everyone upside down and visibly upset, as Sora had held him by the tail, asked, "What d'ya mean we're not done? Seriously, nobody can survive a fall from this height. Not even Wind Riders. And Sora, couldn't you, like, not grab my tail? My arms or feet would've been just fine."

"Or you could just fall," Marisa told him.

"Yeah, I was trying to catch you. You could thank me or something," Sora said.

"Hey! You two don't understand. Genomes hate having our tails pulled, 'cause it hurts! It's like how those 'Saiya-jin' from 'Dragon Sphere Zeta', but without the losing powers. Seriously, Sora! Put me down!" Zidane yelled.

"Okay, okay. Here," Sora said, finding a spot near the fallen Barbariccia to land.

The others followed suit and a relieved Zidane yelled at the Eidolon, "Give up yet?"

" _Hee-hee-heh."_

* * *

"H-Hey! What are you doing?" Kairi yelled at Asura.

The dragon headed straight for the storm and Kairi pressed her body against his back as the flying lizard barreled towards it. With a scream, the girl summoned a barrier of light that surrounded both the Asura and herself. Seconds before entering the storm, Asura fired off another blast of purple flames, creating an eye within the vortex. He spun gracefully into it, entering the unnatural maelstrom.

* * *

"Okay, I'm not liking the creepy laughter," Lea said, his flames dying down due to fear.

Sora looked around for the source and noticed Marisa's pale expression. She readied her weapon and he yelled, "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Riku punched him in the arm, saying, "Don't say that, ya dolt! Usually when someone says that, someone gets killed."

" _Yes. I'm afraid they usually do in those horror films you humes watch."_

A teal-haired woman in white appeared and Marisa gasped. An aura of danger surrounded her and every instinct in Sora was telling him to run. Riku was the same, backing away and Zidane pulled out his twin knives, getting into his battle stance. Lea summoned flames to his hands and yelled, "Who the heck are you?"

"No one worth mentioning…" the woman responded with a straight face.

A moan came from the fallen Barbariccia and the battered Eidolon tried sitting up. The woman in white walked towards her and Barbariccia moaned, "My lady…Why couldn't I best them? They shouldn't be this…"

Before she could finish, the one in white struck her in the chest, plunging her fist into it. Sora's jaw drop. Lea and Zidane stared in shock. Marisa slapped her hands over her mouth and Riku responded with, "What in the…?"

The woman in white ripped her bloodied hand out of it and Barbariccia fell back down. In the one in white's hands was a red, heart-shaped crystal that pulsated with a faint light. She then crushed it and it turned into dust. Barbariccia's body crystalized and shattered, also turning into dust and was carried off by the surrounding winds.

"What…What did you do to her?" Sora asked, horrified.

"To the 2,500 year old, half-breed Elezen? I did what was necessary in drawing out my target," the woman said.

Her intense gaze went to Marisa and the girl yelped. Holding out her previously bloodied right hand, the woman said, "Marisa, you know you don't belong here and all your efforts are wasted. What happened in your world will come to pass in this one, as long as our Master will it."

"No! It won't! W-We…We'll stop it. We have to. We'll stop you and your Master, Maenad," Marisa told her.

The woman, apparently someone or something called "Maenad", sighed and asked, "Why travel so far to stop my Master's wishes? Everything that has a beginning has an ending. You know that. So why refuse this world's fate? It's destined to perish."

Marisa didn't answer at first and the "Maenad" asked, "I'll ask it like this then. Why travel into the past to save people who can care less about you and your kind? Why save people who don't even know you? Why not accept the end?"

'The past?' Sora thought, quickly catching onto the little bit he understood from the conversation.

The woman in white turned away and said, "It matters little whether or not you answer. But, I will tell your supposed friends this. Your world is destined to fade into nothingness. Refusing it is foolish and escaping it is not possible. Your friend, Marisa, has also hidden many things from you. About who she really is and where and when she's from."

She faced them once more and said with a fake smile, "Refusing my Master's will is ill-advised and comes with grave consequences. So, I will let you go if you do one thing for me."

"And w-what's that?" Riku asked, visibly shaking.

"Give Marisa to me, leave this place and accept your fate, that of greeting this world's end," "Maenad" told them.

"Why would we do that?" Lea asked.

"Yeah! We're not giving her to you!" Zidane said, standing in front of Marisa.

Sora joined him, as well as Riku and Lea. He then said, "Yeah, she's our friend and friends don't give their friends to crazy people."

"Maenad" scoffed and said, "You barely know her and yet she's a 'friend'. You humes and your useless attachments."

She rose into the air and energy coalesced into her left arm. Marisa gasped and yelled, "We gotta get out of here!"

Lea was about to leapt towards "Maenad" when Marisa grabbed his arm, despite it still being ablaze. She shook her head rapidly and yelled, "No! You can't fight her! She's too powerful!"

"Maenad" hurled energy towards them and before it made impact, purple dragon's fire intercepted it.

"Hey, are you guys okay?" Kairi called out from atop Asura's back.

Sora was relieved and before anyone could answer, Marisa summoned massive amounts of darkness that enveloped the group and dragon. "Maenad" hurled another energy wave at them as they disappeared. Moments after the darkness enveloped them, the group arrived in front of the Forza Institute, along the road. The energy wave that came with them struck the castle's force field and it rippled upon contact.

"Let's get inside! Hurry!" Marisa said, practically pushing them behind the barrier.

* * *

 _The next day…_

"So, all that happened in Treno? Whoa…" Ven said.

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Zidane, the back-to-normal Lea and Marisa sat in the first floor library with Roxas, Ven, Shoji, Terra and Isa. They had explained to them what happened and none were too happy with what was going on. Many distrustful glares were cast at Marisa, who shied away.

"Guys, we don't have a clue what that 'Maenad' lady was talking about. If anything, she sounded crazy," Lea said, defending Marisa.

The doors to the library were opened and Lady Forza, along with Lightning, Fang and Snow, entered. Behind them was a blonde in odd biker's attire. Lea was the first to yell, "Ah, you!"

"Hey there! The name's Cloe! And I see you guys met my friend, Mari," the blonde said enthusiastically.

She joined Marisa, sitting next to her and glaring back at those who distrusted the girl.

"Yes…We've met Marisa and have now been introduced to you. But there are many questions that we need answered," Lady Forza said.

Marisa looked to Cloe, who said, "We did have a set time for us telling you guys what's really going on…and now's not the…"

"Hey! A lady in white just tried to kill us! So, we need answers now," Riku said, standing up.

"Okay, okay. Don't have to yell," Cloe said, rubbing her left ear as Riku bellowed next to it.

In a quiet voice, Marisa said, "I…We'll tell you. But…just not now."

"I'm afraid you haven't much choice. If this 'Maenad' appeared and jeopardized the lives of my students, then you telling them what is happening will greatly improve their odds of survival," Lady Forza told her.

Marisa seemed to be very uncomfortable and shifted in her seat, Sora noticed. Cloe sighed and said, "Okay, fine. Lady Dal Monte…She gave us a set time and wanted us to wait until she arrived here from Midgar, but…"

"Lady Dal Monte?" Terra asked, since that was his last name.

"She's not the one you think. She's not your mom or anything…She's mine," Marisa said, trying to stay vague.

The response was expected as everyone became confused. Sora, Ven and Lea thought that Marisa was Terra's sister. But, according to Fang and Isa, that wasn't possible as Lady Dal Monte wasn't Terra's mother. So, Shoji, Roxas and Snow thought that she was a lost cousin of his.

"No way. If I had cousins, I would remember them, right?" Terra said.

Lady Forza shifted in her stance a bit, Kairi noticed, and Lightning said, "Wait a minute. Why are we jumping to conclusions? Maybe she's from another family called 'Dal Monte'. The name's common in Lucis."

"Well, we're not from Lucis. I can tell you that much," Cloe said.

Marisa muttered something and Zidane asked, as he sat across from her, "What was that?"

"I'm from R…Gar…" she said, still mumbling.

"Raid…Gar…? Raid Gar?" Snow asked, a bit dense.

The girl muttered again and Cloe said, "You're not gonna get anywhere muttering like. Anyway, since I see that all of you are giving me and Marisa death stares, we're from Radiant Garden. But…not from the one that you know."

"Um…what?" Ven asked, lost and effectively voicing what everyone was thinking.

"We're from another…wor…" Marisa mumbled.

"Another…what?" Riku asked.

"Another world. Or more like another world/time. We're from Radiant Garden, but from its future self…about 38 years from now," Cloe said.

Silence enveloped the room as everyone took time to process what they just heard. Moments later, voices of disbelief filled it

"No way! Not possible! Time travel's impossible!" were the various responses.

Cloe shook her head and said, "See? That's why we didn't want to tell you yet. We knew this would be how you would react."

Lady Forza seemed to be the only one that believed them and asked, "Do you have something that can prove your story?"

"Oh. Um, yes. Um…" Marisa said.

She pulled out a small crystal orb and tossed it into the air. It hovered for a moment before shooting high into the air, reaching the ceiling and shining a blinding light.

* * *

 _And there's chapter 9. Sorry it took so long, but with work and everything, it's getting a bit hard to keep up with writing chapters. So, hopefully the next one won't take as long as this one._


	10. Chapter 10: Heartless Machine?

" _Midgar is divided up into 17 districts, with the Shinra Building being in the first district, Sector 0. From them on, the duo-metropolis is divided up from Sectors 1-8, all in a circle. Because of this, groups like AVALANCHE have given the city the unsavory nickname of 'the floating pizza'."_

 _-Shinra Encyclopedia, vol. 11_

Chapter 10: A Heartless Machine?

" _If this doesn't go through, Cuore, our world ends and billions of people will be killed."_

" _I know, Lady Aqua."_

" _Then you know what you must do."_

" _Yeah. Find you, Cloud, Zack, Aerith, Tifa, Genesis and…why him?"_

" _Why who?"_

" _Why the 'Angelus-That-Cannot-Be-Named'? He's the one that caused all this."_

" _No. Well, yes, he did start 'Meteorfall', but he's not the sole reason. There's something else here at work and I need to know what it is."_

" _Yeah, but what if…what if he takes control of…?"_

" _That's what the inhibitors are for. Just in case if he learns that he can control him."_

" _Seriously, shutting him down permanently after what he did…"_

" _You know what happened. He…It wasn't him that did that to Aerith."_

" _But he did. And you all still…not so much Arc, but…Why trust him? He…he's mostly mythril and wires."_

" _Adamantite and wires. But, some can say the same about you, Cuore. Why trust you? You're a Maenad, one of the monsters that's been destroying our world."_

" _I…I'm not like them. You know that."_

" _I know. But, there are those that still don't trust you either."_

* * *

 _Byregot 29_ _th_ _, 259 days before the Fall…_

" _Cuore? Cuore? Cuore, wake up!"_

Someone shaking her helped jolt Cuore awake and she found herself lying in a rather comfortable bed. Her surroundings were unfamiliar and looked like the interior of a bedroom. Pictures of a young brunette in white and pink lined the walls as well as a picture of an older brunette in red. Flowers in pots lined the walls and some were even on top of a bookshelf. The bed, next to a small window on the room's east wall, had many light-blue sheets and pillows on top.

A pop alerted Cuore to the only free corner of the room, at the room's north wall and near the lone bookshelf. There, X-5 sat on the floor with his knees up at his chest and his arms wrapped around them, apparently resting. Cuore couldn't tell as the robot or cyborg (she still couldn't tell) didn't take too many breaths or do anything that would indicate his still being alive…or human for that matter. He lifted up his head and said with his computerized voice, "Defective Maenad Number 34…Cuore…vital signs…normal…Returning to sleep mode…"

With that, he put his head back down and didn't move an inch. The door opened up and Cuore quickly became defensive, jumping up and yelping as she saw that she was given new attire.

"Oh hey! You're awake!" Aerith said with a smile.

The young woman looked to X-5 and said, "Your friend over there's really weird…Dropping you like that in the pool out back. Scared me."

"Um…you saved me?" Cuore asked.

"Yeah and I had to get you out of those really dirty clothes. So, my mom found some of my old clothes that you can use. You can thank her later," Aerith replied.

Cuore noticed and saw that Aerith had her in a light blue top and black shorts with a chocobo imprint on it. She thanked her and their attention was turned back on X-5.

"If I didn't know any better, I would've thought he was some kind of masked serial killer or something," Aerith said.

"Hey! Mo…I mean, Miss Aerith!"

Arc suddenly rushed into the room, dressed much differently than when he first arrived. Instead of the dark green he usually wore, he wore a black t-shirt with an image of Moogle dancing with a Chocobo on it. Thick pants and shoes in matching colors adorn his lower half and Cuore spotted the necklace that summoned his mythril armor. Worry was in his shining green eyes and he nearly yelled, "Miss Aerith, some people in suits are at the door."

Aerith didn't seem to be too worried, only telling them, "Okay. I'll see what's going on."

Before she could go, Arc grabbed her arm and asked, "But…But what if they take you away somewhere?"

"Huh?" she asked.

"I mean, what if they kidnap you or something?" Arc asked.

Aerith shook her head and said, "I don't think they would. If they're Turks, I haven't done anything wrong or anything. Maybe they just want to check up on me like they usually do."

"But! But!" Arc stammered.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Cuore assured him that he shouldn't worry. The boy let Aerith leave and was quickly smacked upside the head by Cuore.

"What was that for?" he yelled.

"To stop you from blowing your cover. She's not supposed to know that you exist in this timeline. Well, none of us are supposed to let on that we're not from here or that you're related to her. So, calm down, will ya?" Cuore told him.

Arc glanced nervously over at X-5 and Cuore asked, "You're worried about him?"

"Um, yeah…Like, I know Gabe's in there somewhere, but after what happened…I don't want to…" Arc started.

"I understand. After what he did to your mom, I know you still don't trust him anymore. I don't either. Like, we know that 'he-we-won't-name-for-fear-that-X-5-will-kill-us-all' in this world is still a good guy…for now, but if he or any of the other 'brothers' of his from our world wake up in that head of his…then," Cuore said.

"I know. And I don't know how that crazy man did it, but we can't let Kadaj or the others take control of him," Arc said, looking determined, but Cuore knew it was a ruse.

She remembered that time, in their world three years ago. Gabe, or Gabriel Fair, was a rather handsome young man, with dark brown hair, hazel-grey eyes and fair skin. He was tall like his adopted father, Zack, and kind-hearted like his adopted mother, Aerith. When Cuore first met him back then, they were enemies. But after getting to know the group and defying orders, as well as multiple other reasons, she joined his side, a rebel group made up of Specials and normal humans who survived the Fall, and stopped those who sought all Specials to be eliminated by any means.

One day, Gabe was sent to investigate some strange happenings in the ruined Midgar, only to be ambushed and not heard from for a year and a half. During that time, the rebels fought of Maenads, monsters and a powerful masked Special dressed in white and wielding a katana with deadly grace. Within two months, the Special mowed down and took out over half of rebel army.

Cuore herself tried to fight, but she was defeated and barely escaped with her life. The scar on her back was proof of her escape. The climax of their fight with him was the day Arc and Aerith went to the tundra ruined settlement of the Cetra that lived in the far north, called the Forgotten City. They had left the rebellion back in Gongaga, Zack's hometown and one of the few safe havens in their world for Specials. They wanted to find a way to stop or even reverse what had happened.

Fearful for their lives, as their leader, Lady Aqua, had a vision of their demise, the rebels which included the Strife family, Lady Aqua's children, Zack, Cuore and the Rhapsodos family, rushed for the Forgotten City. Once they arrived at the city's lower levels, they saw Arc and Aerith praying. Aerith greeted Zack with a smile and someone suddenly jumped down from the upper levels.

Gears grinding and a whir snapped Cuore out of her somber thoughts. She nearly gasped as X-5 suddenly stood and stared at her underneath his mask. He tilted his head to the left and then slightly to the right when he turned to face Arc.

"Analyzing…Analyzing…Category 4 Cetra-Mimic, Archaeus Isaias Fair…status…normal. Analyzing…Defective Maenad Number 34…Cuore…status normal. Analyzing…Category 5 Cetra, Aerith Gainsborough…status…normal. Location…Sector 5 church…" X-5 said, his robotic voice completely emotionless.

Arc panicked and ran out of the room, yelling, "Why would she leave when Turks are around?"

Cuore's attention went back to the motionless robot that stood before her. Her mind went back to Aerith's…death and she remembered seeing the masked Special in white descend from on high and plunging his katana into her back, stabbing her through the heart. She remembered seeing Aerith's eyes widen in shock and suddenly becoming lifeless. She also remembered Arc and Zack's reaction, the boy screamed in horror while the father lunged at the man with rage and Buster Sword at the ready. Cloud, Tifa and he defeated the masked Special and captured him, not before slicing and breaking him into pieces.

"SCX-005…requesting permission to canvas Sector 5 slums…" X-5 said, his way of asking for anything.

Cuore didn't hear him and her mind dwelled on the past, remembering how she cried as Cloud carried the lifeless body of Aerith outside, as Zack was inconsolable. When the last Cetra of their time was given her water burial, Cuore remembered falling to the ground on her knees, hoping that it was all a bad dream.

"SCX-005 requesting permission to canvas Sector 5 slums," X-5 repeated.

A week after Aerith's death, the rebels' computer wiz, Shelke Rui, found out that the masked Special was more robot than human, a cyborg. She rebuilt and reprogrammed him, making sure that he followed only rebellion leaderships' orders. But…she also found out that he was the long-lost Gabriel Fair.

"SCX-005 requesting permission to canvas Sector 5 slums," X-5 said for a third time, apparently unaware that Cuore purposefully was ignoring him.

Cuore remembered everyone's reply to the discovery. Many didn't believe her, while others couldn't bring themselves to. But when the few DNA samples they gathered was analyzed, coming from the Special's silver hair, it was confirmed. But…Cuore tried her hardest every day since then, putting on a brave face for everyone…but…

"SCX-005 requesting permission to canvas…" X-5 started.

"WILL YOU STOP?!" Cuore bellowed.

The robot did so and the Maenad let out all her pent up feelings at once.

"Y-You…You're not him! The Gabriel Fair I know wouldn't have killed his mother! Nor would he mow down his friends like that!" Cuore started, tearing welling up in her eyes.

X-5 said nothing as the Maenad continued her verbal assault.

"And…And…He…He would've returned to us by now. I can't…I would've been able to sense some vital signs from you by now. My sisters are right…You're not him. You're just a reanimated corpse," Cuore cried.

She turned away, not really a wise idea around X-5 she thought moments later, as she didn't want to see the one that made their work harder and effectively took the first person that didn't see her as a monster away from her. With another soft whir and mechanical hum, X-5 said, "Gabriel Fair…Category 4 Angelus…adopted son of Zacharias Elias Fair and Aerith Gainsborough-Fair…status…st-status…u-un-un…."

He suddenly grabbed his head and fell to his knees. With a loud cry, he scared Cuore as she didn't know was going on. The door to the bedroom opened with an older brunette in green coming in.

"What's wrong? I heard screaming," she asked.

A loud pop was heard and X-5 dropped his hands. He looked up at Cuore and asked, his computerized voice shaky, "C-Cuo…re…?"

"Gabe…? Is…Are you back?" Cuore asked him.

X-5 suddenly collapsed, falling onto his stomach and hitting his head. A slight crack was accompanied by it and Aerith's mother rushed to X-5's side. She helped him onto his back and stared at him. The older brunette looked up at Cuore and asked what was wrong and about the mask.

"Um, I dunno?" Cuore said, unsure of a proper answer.

The woman, known as Elmira Gainsborogh, grabbed the cracked mask and tried to pull it off him. X-5 quickly grabbed her hand and started to crush it. She cried out in pain and the robot refused to release her.

Cuore screamed, "X-5, stop it! Let her go!"

He threw Elmira into Cuore and the two landed on the bed. Jumping up to his feet, X-5 said, "Changing mission parameters…F-Find…Zack Fair…Aerith Gainsborough…Cloud Strife…Tifa Lockhart…Aquamarina Tiberi…Genesis Rhapsodos…Eliminate all…Prevent their interference of the 'Master's' work."

Cuore, after Elmira moved, jumped to her feet and summoned her whip-sword. She swung at him and the robot pulled out his katana, swiftly blocking it with ease. He parried, releasing an energy wave that Cuore blocked using her own weapon. Just as she did, X-5 lunged for Elmira and her and Cuore knocked the both of them to the floor.

He missed, but escaped by using his momentum to jump out of the window. Cuore got up and saw him fly off, heading for the church.

"Oh no…Oh no…" Cuore thought aloud.

Without a second thought and ignoring a hurt and confused Elmira, the Maenad rushed out of the house, chasing after the rogue one.

* * *

 _With Arc…_

Powerful feelings of despair and dread stopped Arc dead in his tracks in the middle of the Sector 5 streets. He was on his way to the church and was only a few blocks from it when the feeling came, practically punching him in the gut. The boy searched his surroundings, looking around for any signs of Maenads or monsters from the future and the present day. He saw nothing.

The feeling not dying in his heart, Arc cautiously made his way to the church's doorsteps. He opened the doors and expected to see Aerith tending to the flowers. Instead, he saw the church was empty. Slowly entering, the young Special looked for his mother, thinking that she had entered into one of the back rooms.

He checked, but found nothing. He even went up to the rafters, as stairs went up to it. Once again, there was nothing, save for cobwebs and wood shards.

Still worried for her, as he remembered the day she was killed in their time, Arc started to hyperventilate. Panicking, he quickly checked the surroundings, thinking that he would see Aerith. Instead, he just saw the flower bed that she lovingly tended to.

Feeling faint, Arc leaned against a nearby pillar, sliding down and sitting on the floor. He panted heavily and felt that he was having heart trouble, despite being perfectly healthy. Putting his knees to his chest, Arc buried his face while curling up into a ball.

'W-Where are you? I can't lose you again…' Arc thought.

The doors to the church burst open and it took Arc's attention off his worry for a few moments. The sound of heavy steps filled the church and accompanied a figure in white. After hearing the sound of a spark and a pop, Arc gave a sigh of relief. That is, until he heard the figure say, "Scanning…Scanning…Analyzing…Archaeus Isaias Fair…Category 4 Cetra-Mimic…"

"Hey X-5," Arc said, calming down and standing to his feet.

He approached the cyborg and stopped in his tracks when X-5 suddenly brandished his katana. Arc barely had a chance to react as X-5 blindingly lunged for him. Moments before he could be decapitated, the boy ducked and saw a blade of energy slice the pillar in half. It fell behind him, crashing into the wall and shattering the windows near it.

Arc was kneed in the chest and sent flying to the altar wall. He crashed into it and saw X-5 was suddenly in front of him. The cyborg grabbed him by the collar and said, "Category 4 Cetra-Mimic Archaeus Isaias Fair…must be eliminated…"

He then flung him towards the flower bed, where the boy slid to a stop and destroyed much of the immaculate bed. Terrified, Arc turned onto his back and swiftly rolled to the right, narrowly missing X-5 stabbing him in the back. The robot's sword stabbed where Arc was and Arc got to his feet, yelling, "What is going on here? Why are you attacking me?"

X-5 pulled his weapon out of the flower bed and stared at the yellow flowers and the various petals that fell off of them. He kept his stare at the plants and Arc thought of lightning coming to his arms, copying one of Aqua Tiberi's abilities. He released it, aiming for X-5, who made no motion to move out of the way.

The lightning struck, hitting X-5 square in the chest and sending him sailing towards the pews behind him. His robotic body destroyed most of the pews and the debris covered him. Arc rushed for the door leading to the roof and found it locked. Hearing shuffling noises behind him, Arc kicked the locked door open and rushed up the stairs, being careful not to step on weakened boards and steps.

He made it to the top, where most of the floor had giving way a long time ago and a lone beam leading to a hole in the roof. As he was terrified of heights, but not wanting X-5 to take him out, Arc got on his knees and crawled his way to the hole in the roof, X-5 jumped up to the rafters, landing on the beam with a heavy thud and shaking it.

Arc kept moving, even though X-5 quickly gained on him. Before Arc could reach the end, X-5 appeared in front of him, grabbed Arc by the scruff of his shirt. The two disappeared in a shower of metal feathers and the boy saw that they were floating high above the Shinra Building.

"WAH! What are you doing? X-5? Stop! Don't you dare let me go!" Arc yelled.

X-5, with wings spread and flapping every few seconds, grabbed the mythril pendant the boy carried around and pulled it off. The robot then did the unthinkable. He released him, despite the boy's loud protests, and watched as he tumbled down below.

"Mission parameters…Objective complete. Moving to next target," X-5 said, flying back towards Sector 5.

* * *

 _Wow…Probably one of the darker chapter ending's I've written in a while. So…X-5's gone and turned evil. And what happened to Aerith in the other world is the nearly the same that happened in Final Fantasy 7_

 _Anyway, will or did Arc survive that fall? And who's the robot's next target? Will he pose a danger to Aqua and the others? Stay tuned._

 _-miano53_


	11. Chapter 11: The Comatose Child

" _Mimics are also known to copy abilities of durability, usually taken from Specials such as Au Ra and Roegadyn. That durability would increase their defenses, preventing things such as falls that could be fatal and stabs into little scratches. I would like to study more about this phenomenon among these Specials, but the Neo Midgar Project won't run itself…"_

 _-a note from Dr. Gast's writings_

Chapter Eleven: The Comatose Child

" _Zack, put the mouse down," a ten-year-old Cloud said to his twelve-year-old best friend._

 _Zack, not wanting to do his daily chores, had played over 30 hours of a computer game called Cognitive Dissonance Alpha. He stayed inside all weekend and many of the kids in SOLDIER was quite worried. He didn't come out of his rather dark dorm room and didn't even come out for meal times. Something very odd indeed as the boy was known to be the first in line for anything food related._

 _Cloud and a 16-year-old Angeal headed for the boy's room, knocking cautiously on the door and eventually kicking it open when he didn't answer. There, the found him still playing on the game, eating out of a bowl of popcorn and sitting on a swivel chair. Pop cans and various candy wrappers were on the floor and his dirty clothes were strewn about, not like a SOLDIER bedroom at all._

 _Angeal called out his name, only for Zack to turn around and hiss at them like a snake. Cloud, worried, called for him to drop the mouse. The Mimic refused._

" _I'm level 73! Only 26 monsters more to go until I beat Genesis' high score level! And then the final boss!" Zack said, bags in his tired, red eyes._

" _Zack, drop the mouse," Angeal said calmly._

 _Zack shook his head and yelled, "No! I gotta beat Genesis' score! I bet 4,000 gil on it!"_

" _No! You got too much to live for!" Cloud said, remembering how Genesis passed out and slept for four days straight after reaching level 99 and beating Gyiyg, the game's final boss._

" _Zack! Drop it! Drop the mouse!" Angeal ordered._

 _Zack hissed again and grabbed the mouse and keyboard as if his life depended on it. To Cloud surprise, he even grabbed the monitor, yelling, "I'll never let it go!"_

" _Drop it! Drop the mouse! I said drop it!" Cloud yelled, his voice squeaking as he tried to make it sound authoritative._

 _The preteen started to cry, tears welling up in his eyes as he really didn't want to stop playing. Angeal ordered, his voice booming as he bellowed, "Drop the mouse! Drop it now! Drop it! Drop it!"_

" _Okay! Okay! I'll drop it! I'll drop it!" Zack cried._

 _He dropped the mouse and it fell onto the floor with a click. When it did, a chime was heard and Zack's game file had been deleted. Horrified, Zack fell to the floor, screaming, "NOOOO!"_

 _Cloud looked at Angeal and muttered, "Uh…Should we leave?"_

" _Yeah…" he said and the two left, leaving Zack to mourn his loss._

* * *

 _Byregot 29_ _th_ _, SOLDIER Floor, lounge…_

Aqua, minding her own business and pressing various virtual buttons on her newly given tablet, didn't see a grinning Zack approaching her. He held something behind his back and Aqua didn't even bother to look up. Stopping at her table, the newly promoted SOLDIER 1st Class Mimic cleared his throat, announcing his presence. The 3rd Class Storm Rider ignored him.

"Ahem! Ah-HEM! AHEM!" Zack said, clearing his throat louder each time.

"What?" Aqua asked, her eyes not off the tablet.

Zack pulled out a small star-shaped charm, a metallic blue in color and with a small smiley face on it. Aqua saw it from her peripherals and asked, "What's that for?"

"Well, it's my saying sorry after scaring you like that," he answered.

"I told you not to touch my stuff. How did you get it off my desk?" Aqua asked, finally looking up and noticing the star-shaped good luck charm, a Wayfinder, was the same one that she kept.

It looked cleaner than before and she wondered how did Zack get to it. She could've sworn that she locked her desk up at night. Zack's grin became bigger and he told her, "Yeah, you forgot to lock your drawers yesterday. So, I found it and thought to clean up all that muck and nasty-not-niceness off of it."

He handed it to her, to which she snatched it out of his hands. He pouted, saying, "A 'thanks' would be great."

"I'm not saying it because you stole it from me. Probably tried to use it to win at Mugboy…" Aqua said, putting the charm in her pocket.

"Well yeah…but! Hey, I did win! I finally beat that 'Calabrina Marina' after two hours!" Zack admitted.

"Two hours, though?" Aqua asked.

"Yeah. You try havin' a small, little mug-kid fly over an ocean and shoot at a giant Medusa-mermaid-thing-trying-to-kill-you!" Zack said, pleading his case.

A loud crash was heard and an alarm began to blare. Zack looked around, saying, "Genesis?"

"What about him?" Aqua asked.

The young man seemed to catch himself, saying, "Uh. Never mind. It's nothing."

"Can't be nothing since the alarm's blaring," Aqua noted.

Zack's phone began to ring and he quickly checked it, taken aback at the message that popped up on the screen. Apparently, something crashed through one of the windows of the president's office. Zack sighed and said, "Well, I guess Sephiroth's got it handled…"

* * *

" _Okay. So tell me what you see?"_

 _Arc looked up at an older Aerith, who stood at the end of a long, spiraling walkway. He joined her, looked over the banister to where she was pointing and saw nothing but seaweed. Confused, he asked, "Uh, what am I looking at?"_

" _I just asked you that. Tell me what you see," she said._

 _He started at the oddly growing plants and didn't see anything else. Aerith smiled and said, "Not with your natural eyes. Tell me what you can 'see-see'."_

" _I don't get it…" Arc told her._

" _I mean, use your senses, like your 'mind's eye'. Tell me what you can sense and call out to it," Aerith told him._

 _Still confused and a knot of fear forming in his stomach, he asked, "Um, isn't that dangerous?"_

" _Not as dangerous as all those Cie'th you and Gabe fought before…" Aerith answered, stopping her response suddenly._

 _She turned away and Arc said, "It's okay. We'll find him sooner or later."_

" _But that's just it. He's…I sensed it a while back. He's life force…It's practically gone…" Aerith told him, somber._

" _Even though it's faint, you can still sense it, right?" Arc asked._

" _Yes. I guess…that's a little glimmer of hope, right?" his mother replied with a weak smile._

 _Going back to the unnaturally growing seaweed, Arc peered into the grasses, not able to see anything else. After getting frustrated a few moments later, he thought to do what his mother told him. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Arc closed his eyes opened his senses, hearing water running below. He also felt warmth coming from underneath and a rumble forced him to open his eyes._

 _The grasses parted and a crystal staircase appeared, descending farther below. Aerith started her descent and motioned for Arc to follow. Wordlessly, he did._

* * *

"Hey! That's the same kid I met in the slums!" Zack yelled.

Aqua shushed him as he was awfully loud in the infirmary. Due to the recent attacks on headquarters, the place was filled with more operatives that usual. Many of them were resting, nursing wounds made by bullets, knife stabs and even fire. The boy they were looking over had bandaging around his forehead, a cast on his arms and more bandaging around parts of his exposed chest, seen underneath the hospital robe he wore. He slept deeply, not able to wake up after that horrific fall.

Zack shook the boy a little, saying, "Hey! Hey kid!"

Aqua stopped him, yelling, "What are you doing?"

"What's it look like?" Zack said.

"Uh, the boy has a concussion. I wouldn't wake him," Aqua said.

"Yeah, but he's a Mimic like me. He should be okay, especially if he copied healing abilities like me," Zack said.

"But he's not you, so…" Aqua said.

Another phone ring interrupted them and Zack answered it, sighing over who was on the other end. Tseng had alerted him about their katana-wielding fugitive in white near the Sector 5 church. He was to go over there and apprehend the suspect, if possible. He hung up and asked Aqua, "Can you just keep an eye on him?"

"Why? Reminds you of someone?" she asked.

"Kinda. Just keep him outta trouble for me, okay?" he said, leaving.

* * *

" _And that's how you can see if something's off. Good job, Arc," Aerith said, applauding him as she witnessed his new ability to call out to the planet._

 _Arc nearly collapsed as it felt as if he was trying to pull something out from underground that just happened to weigh a few hundred pounds. That something was simply a bit of power from the planet itself and he didn't realize that doing so, tapping into that power, would be so exhausting. According to his mother, all he had to do was call out to the planet, visualize what he needed and ask for it. If successful, the planet would fuse its energy into him, granting him abilities he never could dream of._

" _And that's the reason why Shinra was after us, because of that power," Aerith told him._

" _Tired…So tired…" Arc said, finally falling onto his back._

 _His mother stood over him and said, "Well, we can't rest. We have to head for the altar in the center of this place."_

" _Why?" Arc asked._

" _That's where we can find a way to stop all of this," Aerith told him, helping him back on his feet._

* * *

 _Wednesday, Rhalgr 16_ _th_ _…_

Still not waking up those two weeks and moaning a few times in his sleep, but finally getting the casts off of his arms, Aqua stood and watched as the boy named Arc sleep peacefully despite the recent attacks. More SOLDIER operatives were being carried into the infirmary after each one while others simply disappeared in the chaos. The director kept telling everyone that there was nothing to worry about.

But, something told her that something was off about all of it. The first ones to disappear were Angeal and Genesis, the two 1st Class SOLDIERs that she barely had a chance to speak to. Then the recent attacks and odd missions the operatives went on. Even she went on a few, despite only being most times a secretary. After coming from her missions, she would go and check on Arc, taking turns with Zack, Tifa, Cloud, Luxiere and Kunsel.

"Hey, how's he doing?" Tifa asked, coming in.

"Well he's been talking in his sleep lately. When I came in, he was muttering about his mom," Aqua said.

Tifa found a chair and sat next to the boy's bed. She placed a hand over his forehead and said, "Well it's a miracle that he survived that fall. It was high above the president's office and…"

Arc moaned again, muttered, "Dad…don't leave me. No…No, no, no…"

The two young women went silent, listening at his mumblings. He started to toss and turn, as if he was having a nightmare. Aqua felt sorry for the kid, feeling that whatever happened to him was absolutely horrible.

"Mom, NO!" he yelled, waking and nearly jumping up.

He panted heavily, wildly looking around the room. He spotted the two and fell backwards, falling onto the other side of the bed and nearly ripping the IV in his right arm and the nodes connected to his heart monitor from his chest. Tifa and she yelped, wondering what had gotten into him.

Tifa rushed for the other side and backed away as the boy had summoned knives of light in his hands. He brandished them, yelling, "Stay away from me!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Kid, calm down! We're not here to hurt you," Tifa said in a calm voice.

Arc wasn't having it, swiping at her when she tried to get close. The other SOLDIERs that were awake tried to calm him, but he swiped at them as well, nearly cutting one on the palm of his hand. The boy yelled something in a very odd language, screaming, _"_ _Mantente lonxe!_ _"_

"Huh? The boy speaks Twilia?" a 2nd Class asked.

"That's a dialect in Gardenia. So, he must be from the northern emirates," a 3rd Class said.

Aqua remembered learning about the emirates on the northeastern continent of Eden when she was in grade school in Modeoheim. On that continent was a region called Gardenia, home to five city-states turned emirates. Each spoke a language called Gardenian, but, like any nation or region, each had its own dialect. She couldn't remember where Twilia was spoken and couldn't ponder it as the boy kept yelling.

" _Estou avisándoche!"_ he screamed.

" _Cálmate. Ninguén vai ferirche."_

Aqua turned around to see, surprisingly, a very tall, lean-built man with silver hair had entered the room. He wore all black, in similar fashion to standard SOLDIER attire. The ones that were alert saluted the man, Tifa included, and Aqua was still a bit lost. Arc's face paled and he started rapidly speaking in Twilia.

"C'mon, salute the guy. I know you never met him, but at least salute the general," Tifa said, elbowing Aqua in her side.

She winced and did so, putting her right arm over her heart. The SOLDIER general, Sephiroth Hojo, looked around and then locked his cat-like, odd to Aqua, eyes with hers. She suddenly felt quite small in his presence and remembered how everyone, save for Zack, was intimated by him. He didn't pay attention to her practically trembling in terror and turned his attention back to Arc.

The boy's yelling became louder as he said, _"Sephiroth!_ _Que fas aquí? Eu penso que o destruímos!_ _"_

The general was a bit confused. Gathering up her courage, Aqua asked, "Um pardon me? But what did he say?"

Sephiroth ignored her, telling Arc, _"Cálmate."_

Arc lowered his weapons and he quieted down. Aqua was amazed as the boy seem to want to cut his losses and get out of there just a few moments ago. That amazement turned to fear as she felt a powerful energy coming from the general. Like, almost like…a…

" _Vai durmir,"_ he said and the boy fell to the floor, asleep.

The other SOLDIERs stared in amazement and Sephiroth turned to the awe-inspired/terrified duo of Tifa and Aqua. With a stern gaze, he said, "See me in my office."

'Oh, why?' Aqua thought to say.

Tifa's face paled and she nodded nervously. He left, a rather nice scent wafting from his hair. Aqua would've thought it was weird, but she was still too terrified to even move or even ask.

* * *

" _So, what are we praying for again?" Arc asked Aerith._

 _The two knelt on top an altar, overlooking the crystal-clear waters below. Aerith smiled and said, "We're asking for a way to get out of this mess. I know that the planet knows what to do. If not, then the Holy Mother will answer."_

" _So, how should I ask Her?" Arc asked._

" _Ask Her nicely, I think. I usually talk normally," Aerith told him._

" _Oh. Okay, I'll try," Arc said, folding his hands together and concentrating._

* * *

 _General Hojo's office, floor 50…_

A nervous Tifa and a terrified Aqua walked towards the general's office on the quite empty 50th floor. It was originally used by the three 1st Class SOLDIERs and their staff. But since the disappearance of Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos, their staff dwindled down to three 2nd Class SOLDIERs. Zack, despite being 1st Class, still hadn't moved to the 50th floor, mainly hanging out with Aqua on the 47th floor. Aqua figured that it was because Zack didn't want to be in a place that reminded him of Angeal.

Stopping in front of the glass doors, Aqua spotted the platelet that had Sephiroth's name and title on it. Tifa shakily grabbed the metal door handle, pulling it towards her and noticed that the door didn't want to open. She nearly tumbled in as the door was pulled in the opposite direction. On the other side was Kunsel, who was surprised to see them there.

"Tifa? Aqua? What are you doing up here?" he asked.

"Sephiroth called us up here. I don't know why, though," Aqua told him.

Tifa looked very nervous and Kunsel said, "Oh. You got caught?"

Aqua turned to Tifa who said, "Uh, no?"

Kunsel shrugged and told her, "Whatever. I guess that wasn't you that Sephiroth was looking for."

"Um, is he back there?" Aqua asked, looking to a doorway in the left corner.

Three desks, one near the far wall in front of them, one at the left and another on the right, were in the room for each staff member. Each desk had personal items of the staff on top and Aqua spotted Kunsel's things on one of them. Within the walls were bookshelves, filled to the brim with various books and protected behind sliding glass doors. Florescent lights, like all other rooms in the building, illuminated the windowless office. The floors were bare, made of marble and gave off a reflection of the light above.

"Enter."

"I guess you're the ones he wanted to see. Good luck," Kunsel said, placing a hand on Aqua's shoulder before leaving.

Tifa took in a deep breath and exhaled, saying, "Time to face the music, I guess."

The two entered the general's office and saw that it wasn't that much different than the room they were just in. The only difference was a window behind Sephiroth's desk that overlooked the gloomy city below and a laptop that he rapidly typed on was on top of it. There were no pictures, nothing personal of his in the room and it felt quite sterile to Aqua.

She looked out the window and saw the heavens were in perpetual overcast. Aqua could see why the news reports said that the people of Midgar were the most glum-filled people on the planet. No sunlight shining through the smog-filled clouds or even moonlight. She snapped out of it as the typing man cleared his throat.

"You two arrived a lot sooner than I expected. I trust you know why I called you here," Sephiroth said, shutting his still-in-pristine-condition laptop closed.

"Uh, n-no," Tifa stammered, quickly catching herself.

He eyed her suspiciously and Aqua truthfully said, "Yeah, I don't know why I'm here. Or why Tifa's here. I was just watching over the boy when he suddenly jumped up and attacked Tifa."

Sephiroth gaze didn't leave Tifa and she began to get very nervous. After a few moments, she sighed and said, "Oh, alright! I hacked into the databases to give Aqua and Cloud more missions! I only did it to help them get a better ranking and even promoted to 1st Class. There, I said it! Happy?"

"That wasn't what I was about to ask, but you admitted it. If Angeal was here, he would've given you a pass. But now that I've taken over his duties, I will not tolerate such actions. Understood?" Sephiroth told her.

Aqua looked around, thinking that the punishment would be more severe. She was ready to raise her hand when the man said, "That was not the only reason I called you two here. How much do you know of the newcomer?"

"Oh. All I know is that his name is Arc and that Zack said that he gave the last name of Gains," Aqua replied.

"Besides him speaking in Twilia and being a Mimic, that's all we know about him," Tifa added.

Sephiroth reopened his laptop and began typing again. Not looking up from his computer, he dismissed the two. Before they left, he warned, "Do not hack into databases for 1st Class missions. If you wish for more difficult missions, speak with me first."

* * *

" _Mom? Mom? MOM!" Arc screamed after a man in white descended from the ceiling and impaled his mother through the heart._

 _The masked figure looked up to see him and pulled out his katana, releasing Aerith and the woman collapsed into her son's arms. As he released her, Arc was sprayed with red liquid and he knew. He knew the man just killed his mother._

 _As his clothes were getting covered in it, the masked man in white readied his sword, aiming for Arc. He was about to strike him down when…_

" _AERITH! ARC!"_

 _His father, Zack, appeared with several members of the resistance. Upon sight of the man, Cloud and he leapt to attack, slashing at the masked one fiercely. Tifa ran up the altar and Arc was numb. He couldn't move and he couldn't process what had happened._

" _Arc! Arc, come with me!" Lady Aqua said, helping him up._

 _She pulled him away, held him from underneath his shoulders and flew off with him. As they got farther and farther away, Arc blacked out, the shock too much._

* * *

 _Wow, poor Arc. And yes, Aerith died the exact same way she did in Final Fantasy VII. But instead of Sephiroth performing the ending blow, a masked man in white, or robot, did so. And Zack and Cloud were also there to see it_

 _Anywho, review?_

 _*The language Arc spoke was of Galician, a dialect spoken in Spain. So, yes, a universal language will be spoken, like in all my other fics, and then there will be ones that have different dialects that certain characters like Aqua won't understand. And if you understood it, great! If not, then no big deal._


End file.
